Sugar & Butter
by Dreamsong
Summary: A sweet AU where Adrien never got to go to school and Marinette's dream is to be a baker like her papa. Set two years after they recieve their Miraculouses. Lots of sweet and fluff to ensue with just a bit of drama. R&R!
1. What's Inside?

A/N: A lot of the chapters will be based around songs, though not all. This one is called "What's Inside?" from the musical "Waitress". A cover has also been done of it by Sara Bareilles. I highly recommend listening to either. Enjoy!

X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

Prologue: What's Inside?

 _Sugar, sugar  
_ _Sugar, butter_

The sun had yet to begin it's rise and so the sky was still dark as Marinette quietly made her way down the stairs of the upstairs apartment she shared with her parents. Outside, the air was cool as it hit her face and she smiled.

It was a perfect morning for baking.

 _Sugar, butter  
_ _Sugar, butter, flour_

She unlocked the front door of the bakery and let herself into the kitchen in the back, bringing up her music on her phone. It felt like an acoustic sort of morning. Still smiling to herself, she brought up the playlist and music filled the silent kitchen.

 _Sugar, butter, flour  
_ _Sugar, butter, flour_

Patrol had kept her out late and she'd only gotten two hours of sleep, but she never would have let that keep her from this. This was her heaven, her one perfect place in the world, where she could always figure things out.

 _Sugar, butter, flour  
_ _Sugar, butter, flour_

She took her apron from the wall, flipping it over her head and tying the strings around her waist with the familiarity only years of the same action could provide. Then she moved to the pantry in the back.

 _My hands pluck the things I know that I'll need  
_ _I take the sugar and butter from the pantry_

She began measuring things out into their proper places, even as the four ovens began to heat. The kitchen warmed around her as her feet and hands followed the dance.

 _I add the flour to begin what I am hoping to start  
_ _And then it's down with the recipe  
_ _And bake from the heart_

It was her dance, and hers alone, and she knew every step by heart. She wasn't usually a graceful person, but here, in her heaven, she never had to worry about other people watching and so she never stumbled.

 _Sugar_

Chat had asked again last night. It had been months since he'd brought it up last and she'd been beginning to hope that he had finally let it go. But no, her luck didn't stretch that far.

 _And butter_

He wanted to know who she was, wanted to tell her who he really was, but she had given him the same excuses. It was safer this way, right? But the excuses were beginning to stale with each time she spoke them, and she wondered how much long they would last.

 _And flour_

Something held her back and she couldn't put a voice to it. She couldn't name it, no matter how badly she wished she could. She had no way to express it. All she could do was bake it away into the scones and macaroons and pies and hope that when the time came, so would the words.

 _And mother_

"Its smells delicious," her mother said as she poked her head into the kitchen and gestured to the pie Marinette had set to cool near the window. "What's inside today?"

Marinette looked up and smiled.

"Cinnamon and apples. Cheese bread coming and the scones are all berry today."

 _What's inside?  
_ _Everyone wants to know what's inside  
_ _And I always tell them but I  
_ _Feel more than words can say_

"Well, we're sure to sell out," Sabine said with a proud smile. "The line is already growing and we aren't even open for another half hour."

Marinette's jaw dropped.

"Maman, are you sure?"

Her mother laughed.

"Quite sure, dear. Word must have gotten out that you've taken over the Sunday morning baking, because a number of them are classmates of yours."

Sabine left her daughter staring after her. Did they really love her baking that much? She felt a huge smile growing on her face as she turned and pulled another sheet of macaroons from the oven, setting it aside to cool.

 _You wanna know what's inside?  
_ _Simple question, so then what's the answer?  
_ _My whole life is in here  
_ _In this kitchen baking  
_ _What a mess I'm making_


	2. You're Beautiful

A/N: The song is "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt. Enjoy. :)

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

Chapter 1: You're Beautiful

Six thirty in the morning. Six freaking thirty in the morning and his father was already at it again. He'd been asleep, damn it! What the hell was that man on, barging into his room at six freaking thirty in the morning, just to start a new version of the same damn lecture he'd already heard so many times he'd stopped counting?

Adrien stomped down the sidewalk, a headache pounding with each step as he muttered arguments and insults to himself, fighting his father after the fact, since he couldn't seem to do it to the man's face. That just made him angrier and he stomped a bit too hard, hurting his foot and sending a jolt of pain up his leg.

He stopped and stared down at the offending appendage, fuming uselessly. Plagg was keeping quiet for now, tucked inside Adrien's bag and probably asleep, like the model wished he still was, and that was probably for the best. Snarky comments about cheese weren't something he wanted to deal with right now.

The three hours of sleep he'd gotten weren't helping his mood, and the, once again, fruitless request to Ladybug to reveal themselves had been met with the same excuse as always. It was getting frustrating. He wanted to know who she was. He wanted her to know him. Hawkmoth had been so quiet the past few months, Adrien had thought perhaps the lull would have let his lady relax just a bit on the subject, but no.

The model ran a hand through his hair, making it an even bigger mess, though that hardly detracted from his looks. He'd stormed out of the house with a pair of plain jeans and a t-shirt on, instead of the usual fashion-esqe getup his father always insisted on. Pushing his sunglasses up onto his head, he sighed and leaned up against a wall, the shadows almost cold still, this early in the morning.

Paris was beginning to wake up, the passing people giving him strange looks which he ignored in favor of taking in his surroundings. He hadn't been paying attention when he'd been stomping and fuming, but now he realized that he'd ended up by the park. As he scanned the buildings down the street, a long line of people caught his eye and he studied it a bit more closely. People appeared to be lining up outside a still-closed bakery.

Was there a special event going on?

He wandered over to get a better look and saw that at least half of the line was made up of teens his own age. Adrien caught the eye of the nearest one and asked.

"What's going on?"

"Dude, it's Sunday!" the tall brunette replied, as though that should have explained everything.

The shorter, darker boy standing next to him saw Adrien's confusion and pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"What he means is that since it is Sunday, Marinette is doing the baking. That is why there is a line."

"Marinette?" the blonde repeated.

Should that name have meant something to him? It obviously did to everyone else, as all the nearby faces smiled when it was said. The boy at the head of the line laughed and waved him foward. He wore a t-shirt and jeans like most everyone else in line, but also sported a red baseball cap and glasses. Adrien followed his gesture and the guy threw his arm around Adrien's shoulders, shocking the young model, though he didn't pull away.

"Dude, you obviously don't go to our school, or you'd know Marinette."

The guy gave him a wink and Adrien felt a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Alright, I give. Who's Marinette?"

The guy threw his arms out wide.

"She's only the best baker in the city, man! Seriously, you need to try her stuff. It's like eating a piece of heaven baked by an angel."

The girl standing next to him gave him a hard elbow in the ribs and he winced before releasing Adrien to throw an arm around her and kiss her cheek.

"Of course, there's no sweeter angel than my Alya," he amended, making Alya roll her eyes and huff as a couple of the boys in the line gave cat calls.

The guy stuck out his free hand.

"I'm Nino, by the way."

"I'm Adrien," the blonde replied, taking the offered hand.

"Dude, I know. _Everyone_ knows."

Nino pointed over Adrien's shoulder and across the street. The model turned and winced. His face was plastered across the billboard there in the latest perfume ad for _Soleil_ _d'Argent,_ just above the wall he'd been leaning against not three minutes ago _._ He turned back.

"Oh, yeah. Forgot that was there now."

Nino laughed at his expression and the redhead next to him stuck out her hand.

"I'm Alya."

Adrien shook her hand as Nino winked and said in a stage whisper, "She's the famous baker's best friend, so we always get in first. You just stick with us. We'll hook you up with the goods."

Adrien felt his grin widening into a real smile as his headache faded.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "What about…?"

He nodded backwards towards the rest of the people and Nino waved the question away.

"Oh, Marinette won't let any of us starve. They all know that. Besides, they know better than to mess with her besties, right babe?"

He winked at Alya, who snorted and crossed her arms as she raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend.

"I'm sorry, _who's_ Marinette's bestie?"

"Hey, I'm riding this gravy train for all it's worth," Nino told her with another wink, making her laugh and drop her crossed arms.

Alya looked to Adrien.

"Seriously though," she told him behind her hand. "Half these guys are coming to see Marinette. The food is just a bonus, so if they start complaining, I know how to shut them up."

Adrien glanced back over the line and noticed that it did seem to have a disproportionate number of male teens in it. He turned back to Alya and Nino.

"So she's cute and she bakes? It's amazing that she's single."

That made Alya laugh.

"Not really. You'll find out as soon as you meet her. It's almost impossible to pry her out of that kitchen. Baking is her one true love, ya know?"

Adrien wished with all his heart that he could be as passionate about what he loved as this girl apparently was. He hadn't even met her yet and he was a bit jealous of her, but at the same time, it made him want to meet her even more.

Nino checked his phone and grinned.

"Hey, guys!" he called. "It's seven!"

A cheer went up from the people in line and they all watched in anticipation as a middle-aged Chinese woman made her way to the door with a sweet smile.

"Good morning Nino, Alya," she greeted, letting the two in question slip quickly past her before the masses could stampede.

Alya grabbed Adrien's arm and dragged him in after her as the Chinese woman, with a look of mild surprise at the action, turned to the first customer in line with a warm smile.

"That's Marinette's mom, Mrs. Cheng," the girl said as she continued to drag the blonde in her wake. "Now, keep quiet. We might catch her in action."

"Who? Marinette? Catch her doing what?"

The girl paused as they reached the other side of the counter and rolled her eyes.

"Just listen. What do you hear?"

Adrien listened and could hear music playing further back in the direction they were clearly going to go. Alya nodded, having seen something change in his face, and put a finger to her lips with a wink. Nino grinned and Adrien followed the two toward the door that must have led to the kitchen.

Alya, after prepping her phone to record, cracked the door open so that all three could see if they stacked themselves just right, and when Adrien spotted her, his jaw dropped.

 _My life is brilliant.  
_ _My love is pure._

The kitchen was warm and a mouth-watering wave of delicious smells rolled over them like a blanket. Sunshine from the windows made the room a patchwork of light and shadow.

 _I saw an angel.  
_ _Of that I'm sure._

And there, amid the sparkling patchwork and delicious smells, danced an angel. Her dark hair was a lovely mess, pulled up in a bun on her head, stray strands escaping in a charming way. She moved in time to the music that was playing, mixing things into bowls and swirling designs onto finished pastries.

 _You're beautiful. You're beautiful.  
_ _You're beautiful, it's true._

Every move was confident and graceful, a dance in her own little world, and in that moment, Adrien knew exactly why all those boys had lined up to see this little baker. She was mesmerizing.

If he hadn't already been in love with Ladybug, he would have fallen head over heels in that heartbeat.

If only.

 _I saw your face in a crowded place,  
_ _And I don't know what to do,  
_ _'Cause I'll never be with you._

She spun like a leisurely ballerina, picking up a bowl of powdered sugar as she did, and spinning back in the same movement to spread the sugar like falling snow across a tray of scones. The bowl was set down even as her feet waltzed her to an oven to pull out a tray of croissants and set them to cooling.

Then she glanced up.

 _Yes, she caught my eye,  
_ _As we walked on by._

Her eyes were huge and the loveliest shade of blue as they met his. If he hadn't already been in love…

 _She could see from my face that I was,  
_ _Flying high._

Adrien saw her cheeks go pink and knew it was nothing to do with the warmth of the kitchen. He felt his own face heating, but couldn't look away from those beautiful eyes.

She was enchanting, with her flour-brushed cheeks and pink lips parted just enough to make them look that much more kissable. Everything seemed to slow as they stared at each other and Adrien could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

Then Alya laughed, pushing the boys away so she could get into the kitchen. The redhead threw her arms around the bluenette in a huge hug and then began brushing flour off of her friend's cheeks as she held up her phone with the video for inspection.

Nino had followed Alya, but Adrien felt as though he'd been ripped from a pleasant dream and was trying to get his bearings as he stayed standing dumbly in the doorway.

 _And I don't think that I'll see her again,  
_ _But we shared a moment that will last 'til the end._

"This is Adrien."

The blonde came back to himself abruptly at the sound of Alya's introduction and he smiled automatically at the sweet little baker before him.

"Nice to meet you," he said.

Her big, blue eyes stared up at him, still seeming surprised, before she managed to reply.

"You too."

 _You're beautiful. You're beautiful.  
_ _You're beautiful, it's true._

Adrien tried to get ahold of himself as the Nino and Alya took great pleasure in telling Marinette all about the line of, mostly guys, that had been waiting outside.

He loved Ladybug. He was just surprised because she'd been so much prettier than he'd expected. After all, there weren't many people who could compare with his lady. That would have been a shock to anyone, right?

 _I saw your face in a crowded place,  
_ _And I don't know what to do,  
_ _'Cause I'll never be with you._

"This guy," Nino said, pointing over his shoulder to Adrien. "Hadn't heard about your famous pastries yet, so we made him come in to try some."

Those big, blue eyes turned on the model again and his breath caught for a second.

"What's your favorite?" she asked with a little smile.

Even her voice was sweet. There had to be a law against that somewhere.

"Anything chocolate," he said with an equal smile.

She frowned adorably, lost in thought for a moment, then lit up with a smile as she clapped her hands together.

"I don't usually make chocolate things, but I did make some _petits pains au chocolat_ earlier. Hold on."

She moved over to one of the cooling tables, picking up a plate on the way.

"What's your favorite fruit?" she asked as she plated several pastries.

"Um, strawberries."

"Ah, a classic, I see," she said with a grin, turning away to put a couple more things on the plate.

Returning, she handed him the plate with a grin.

"On the house. Whoops."

She spun away and headed for one of the ovens, though no alarm had gone off that he'd heard, and brought out a tray of steaming cheese bread with a satisfied smile.

"Perfect."

 _You're beautiful. You're beautiful.  
_ _You're beautiful, it's true._

For the first time since he'd met Ladybug, he wished for just a moment that he wasn't in love with the amazing, frustrating girl, because to fall in love with this adorable little baker would have been heavenly.

 _There must be an angel with a smile on her face,  
_ _When she thought up that I should be with you.  
_ _But it's time to face the truth,  
_ _I will never be with you._


	3. Can't Help Falling

A/N: If you don't know this song, please go look it up, because this is a classic. There have been a million covers of it. Personally, I love Elvis' original, but for this chapter I hear Haley Reinhart's version in my head. Sorry the chapter's a little shorter, but the next one will be longer. Enjoy!

X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

Chapter 2: Can't Help Falling

She'd been caught completely off guard. He was all gorgeous blonde hair and statuesque physique, but it had been his eyes that caught her first.

 _Wise men say only fools rush in_

She'd looked up and those eyes, those brilliant green eyes had frozen her in place. They'd made her heart race. They'd made her want to stutter and hide, even as they made her want to get closer and fall into them.

 _But I can't help falling in love with you_

What the hell was wrong with her?

Alya was making her watch the video again. Marinette couldn't see why it was apparently so fascinating. She was baking, like she did all the time. What was so special about that?

 _Oh, shall I stay, would it be a sin_

Marinette groaned and pushed her best friend's phone away.

"Alya, I don't know why you insist on taking those videos, but I need to get back to work."

"Alright girl, alright. We can take a hint. Join us when you're done."

"Sure," Marinette said with a smile.

Her friend grinned and turned.

"Come on, boys. Mush, mush."

"Suddenly we're dogs now?" Nino complained as Alya pushed him toward the door, laughing, and grabbing the green-eyed boy as she passed him.

He was still staring at her and Marinette felt her whole face go red again.

 _Oh, if I can't help falling in love with you?_

As soon as her friends and the new boy were out of the kitchen, Marinette threw her apron over her face and sank to the floor, screaming internally because she knew Alya would still be able to hear.

What _the hell_ was wrong with her?

"Oh, Marinette," she heard Tikki giggle in her ear, even as her kwami patted her cheek sympathetically.

The baker looked up.

"Tikki, what's wrong with me?"

The kwami giggled again.

"It's love!"

 _Like a river flows, surely to the sea_

"What? N-no, no, that's crazy. I don't even _know_ him!"

"You say that like it matters."

"It does!"

"It doesn't."

"It should!"

Tikki just laughed.

 _Darling, so it goes, some things are meant to be_

Marinette took a deep, bracing breath and stood. She had things to do and she could smell that the last tray of croissants were done. She quickly rescued them from their oven and left them to cool for a few minutes as she plucked the pan of caramel off the stove and began drizzling it over the already-cooled apple tarts.

She tried her best to pick up her dance where she'd left off, but it kept eluding her. Every time she reached for the familiar rhythm those eyes jumped into her mind and every time she found the beat, that adorable smile popped into her head and sent her heart racing.

After the third dropped pastry, she gave up, slamming the tray back down onto the counter and taking a few slow, deep breaths. This was baking. It was the one thing she loved above any other. Never in her life had she been so frustrated by something that she couldn't bake it out. Never in her life had she been so upset about something that it made her drop pastries.

But she wasn't upset. Yes, she was a little frustrated, but that was from not being able to make her hands work right.

What _was_ this?

She sighed heavily and looked over to the kwami who was munching on a cookie and watching her with knowing eyes. Was Tikki right? Was she in love with a boy she'd said all of two words to?

That was ridiculous, but…

Damn, it would explain it.

"It's not fair, Tikki. I don't want to be in love."

The kwami giggled.

"Oh, Marinette."

 _Take my hand, take my whole life too_

Once more, the baker dove into her work, forcing all thoughts of green eyes and adorable smiles from her mind to try and make her hands work right. She was a little slower now, but the job was done right and no one would know the difference.

Her mother came in periodically to gather up new plates of things to restock what had been sold until finally, there was only one plate of scones left to be taken out. Marinette smiled down at it as Tikki hid in one of her apron pockets.

Then, she picked up the plate and marched out of the kitchen.

 _Oh, for I can't help falling in love with you_

She was greeted by cheers as soon as she was spotted and she stopped dead in her tracks, shocked to see that the place was still packed, nearly three hours after opening. Then she laughed at her classmates' enthusiasm and moved forward.

Marinette spotted Alya and Nino with Adrien toward the back of the crowd, and grinned at her best friend, doing her best not to look at the handsome boy. Still, her gaze wandered for just a moment and she felt her heart stop as their eyes met again.

She was so screwed.

 _Oh, like a river flows, surely to the sea_

Max and Kim where there, along with Nathaniel and quite a few boys who weren't in her class at all. Apparently Alya hadn't been exaggerating about the number of males who'd been waiting, but surely they weren't all here just to see her.

Rose, Juleka, and Alex were all there too, and Marinette offered them all the scones, which were happily accepted, but through it all, she could feel Adrien's eyes on her.

 _Darling, so it goes, some things are meant to be_

There was a good reason she always played Chat's advances off as a joke. There was a reason she'd turned down both boys who'd gotten up the courage to ask her out. There was a reason she never worried about dating.

She had dreams. She had a plan. And they most certainly did not include a boy, no matter how much he made her blush and sent her heart racing. She didn't want to be distracted. She only had two more years of school before she could move on to bigger things, and she didn't need to waste those years fawning over some boy. Some green-eyed boy with the most adorable smile she'd ever seen.

No. She was not going to fall for anyone, even him, no matter what he made her feel.

And yet…

Her eyes strayed to his again and she felt the light blush creep onto her face.

Damn it.

For the first time in her life, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was head-over-heels in love, and it was the last thing she wanted to be.

 _Oh, take my hand, take my whole life too  
_ _For I can't help falling in love with you  
_ _Oh, for I can't help falling in love with you_


	4. Things I'll Never Say

A/N: Aaaand nine pages later... I told you it would be longer this time! :) The song is Avril Lavigne's "Things I'll Never Say". Enjoy!

X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

Chapter 3: Things I'll Never Say

"So what school you go to?" Nino was asking Adrien as Marinette drew closer.

"I've been homeschooled, actually," the blonde replied. "My father felt it would be better for my education since the modeling takes up so much of my time and doesn't leave me a regular schedule."

"Modeling?" Marinette repeated, surprised.

Alya laughed and pointed out the window. Confused, the little baker followed the gesture and her eyes went wide when she saw it. That's why he looked familiar! There was a giant billboard on the other side of the park with his face on it. Her eyes went wide as she turned to the blonde.

"S-sorry!" she stuttered, embarrassed as much by her lack of knowledge as she was by his direct stare. "I-I didn't realize. I mean, I see that billboard every day so it just sort of slips past my notice, you know?"

He shook his head.

"No, please, don't worry about it. I don't really like having my face plastered all over Paris. It's nice to find someone who didn't recognize me right off."

He gave her that adorable grin and she felt herself flush anew. Mentally, she was screaming at herself. She didn't need some boy in her life! What was she doing? But all the logic in the world didn't stop her heart from picking up it's pace.

"Wait a minute," said Alya. "If you don't like having your face on every corner in Paris, why do you model?"

Adrien shrugged, looking unhappy.

"My father insists. He's got big plans for me taking over the family business someday and those plans include modeling as long as possible."

The other three frowned.

"Doesn't sound like you like his plan much," said Nino.

The model shrugged again.

"I've been in the industry so long it's all I really know. I mean, I have plenty of colleagues I'm friendly with, but I don't know that I'd call them actual friends. I feel like I've missed out on a lot. Just wish he'd let me do something normal for a change, like everyone else."

Nino, Alya, and Marinette exchanged glances, speaking volumes without a word, and then Nino threw an arm around Adrien.

"Dude, that's about to change."

"What?"

The other boy pointed proudly to himself.

"I'm Nino, friend number one."

He pointed to the grinning redhead.

"That's Alya, friend number two."

Then he gestured to the baker.

"And Marinette makes friend number three."

Adrien looked shocked and unsure what to say. His expression made Alya laugh and Marinette giggle. His glance caught hers and she blushed again.

"You… all want to be my friends?" he asked uncertainly.

"Sure," said Alya, crossing her arms. "You seem like a decent enough person. For a celebrity."

He looked at her, confused for a moment before Nino laughed and Adrien realized she'd been teasing him.

"Seriously, dude, lighten up."

"I-If you want," Marinette said. "We can all head over to the park for lunch in another hour. I need to get cleaned up, but all the baking is done for the day."

"Awesome plan," Nino said, giving her a thumbs up.

"Why don't you boys go get the food and meet us there?" Alya suggested, slipping her arm through Marinette's. "Nino knows what we like, right?"

"Sure thing, babe," the boy in question replied with a wink.

Alya dragged Marinette away as the boys headed for the door. The redhead dragged Marinette behind her and up all three flights of stairs to the baker's room. She slammed the door closed and turned on Marinette with shining eyes that made her best friend back away a step.

"Alya?"

"You like him!" she accused, pointing a finger at Marinette.

"W-what? W-what are you talking about? Like who?"

She felt her face going red and knew as soon as the words were out of her mouth that she wasn't fooling anyone. Crap.

"Adrien. You're in love with Adrien Agreste!"

"Shhh!" Marinette hissed, waving her hands in the air. "You don't have to shout it. Okay, so he's handsome and I might have a little crush on him. So what's the big deal? I've barely spoken to him."

Alya put her hands on her hips and gave her a knowing look that was far too close to the one Tikki had been giving her earlier for comfort.

"Girl, the big deal is that you've never had a crush. This is huge!"

She clapped her hands in excitment and gave Marinette a crushing hug.

"I'm so proud! My girl's growing up!"

Marinette laughed as Alya released her.

"Seriously, it's not that big of a deal, but thanks? I guess?"

"Oh! We have to find you something cute to wear! You go get cleaned up and I'll do some closet recon."

Marinette's eyes went wide.

"W-what? Alya, no, I don't nee—"

But her best friend was already pushing her towards the bathroom and closing the door behind her. Marinette blinked stupidly at the closed door for a minute, fighting between horror and laughter. Finally, she gave in and laughed.

Done washing up, she returned to her room to find that Alya had indeed gone through her entire closet and picked out three different outfits that were apparently approved for Marinette-with-a-crush.

"I'm thinking the one with the skirt."

"Alya, they all have skirts."

"Exactly," agreed the redhead. "That's why my choices are perfect."

Marinette laughed.

The outfit she ended up in was one she hadn't worn often, mostly because there was a skirt, but Alya had insisted, and it was extremely comfortable. The top was white with cap sleeves and the skirt was soft and pink with little white polka dots strewn across it. Her best friend had then insisted she wear a pair of little white flats she'd unearthed, but after that, Marinette put her foot down.

She would not let Alya do anything about her messy bun, no matter how much the redhead argued, and no, she was not going to put on makeup. The line had to be drawn somewhere. It was a crush, not love. She shouldn't have to try that hard, right?

When Alya finally rolled her eyes and gave in, the two walked arm-in-arm back downstairs and to the street. They could see the boys in the park, talking and laughing as they waited, and headed straight for them.

As they neared, Marinette felt a new case of nerves overcome her and she looked down, blushing, as Nino and Adrien looked up and greeted them.

 _I'm tugging at my hair  
_ _I'm pulling at my clothes  
_ _I'm trying to keep my cool  
_ _I know it shows_

She hated feeling like this, even more awkward and uncoordinated than usual, but Alya hadn't let her go yet, so she couldn't run away. Against her will, her brain began racing through the other outfits Alya had let her chose from, wondering if she would have looked better in one of those instead, then immediately chiding herself, because she was being stupid.

Adrien probably didn't even like her that much anyway and all this would fade in a few days. Right?

 _I'm staring at my feet  
_ _My cheeks are turning red  
_ _I'm searching for the words inside my head_

Marinette looked up and smiled at Nino and then Adrien as though she didn't feel like her knees were weak and her head was spinning and her heart was racing and…

No, everything was like it was with every other boy. Normal, calm. They were friends, going to have lunch together in the park.

 _Cause I'm feeling nervous  
_ _Trying to be so perfect_

Then Adrien smiled down at her and she almost lost it, feeling her face heat up, yet again. It wasn't fair that he was so handsome. He probably didn't feel a thing.

Maybe she should have let Alya do something different with her hair. Would it have killed her to put on eyeliner?

She mentally kicked herself.

 _Cause I know you're worth it  
_ _You're worth it_

Nino had gotten sandwiches from a café down the road that was a particular favorite of both girls and he got a kiss from Alya for reading her mind.

Marinette thanked Nino and they fell into talking about the new expansion coming out for their favorite video game. When Adrien chimed in with his own opinion about which character had the best special move, Marinette felt her heart flutter and melt just a little bit more for the green-eyed boy.

 _If I could say what I want to say  
_ _I'd say I wanna blow you away_

"Hey babe, what's wrong?" Nino asked Alya, seeing that she was frowning at her phone.

"Oh, I was just wishing I had new footage for the _Ladyblog_ ," she told him, looking up. "I haven't seen Ladybug or Chat Noir in months."

"Wait, you're the one who runs the _Ladyblog_!" Adrien asked, his eyes lighting up. "I knew I recognized you from somewhere!"

Alya grinned proudly.

"That's me! You follow it?"

"Oh yeah," he said with a firm nod. "Where else would I hear all the good theories? I'm a huge Ladybug fan."

Marinette felt herself blush.

 _Be with you every night  
_ _Am I squeezing you too tight?  
_ _If I could say what I want to see  
_ _I want to see you go down  
_ _On one knee_

"Me too!" agreed Alya. "So is Nino, but Marinette's a huge Chat Noir fan."

She grinned over at her friend, who shrugged, still blushing.

"He never gets the credit he deserves," the bluenette insisted. "He's right along side Ladybug saving Paris and should get more attention than he does. It's like people think he's a sidekick and he's not! He's her partner. There's no way Ladybug would have lasted this long saving Paris on her own."

Alya was shooting the blonde boy a grin that said she knew all of the baker's arguments on the subject and enjoyed getting the rise out of her. Marinette frowned slightly at Alya, knowing she had walked into that one like she always did, and found her gaze wandering to Adrien's. There was a slight blush forming on his cheeks and he rubbed the back of his neck, almost nervously.

"Y-you really think so?"

Marinette nodded emphatically, even as his eyes made her stutter.

"D-definitely."

 _Marry me today  
_ _Guess, I'm wishing my life away  
_ _With these things I'll never say_

"Well, I need to get home," Alya said, crumpling up the wrapping from her sandwich as she stood and looked to Nino. "Walk me?"

"Anything for you, babe," her boyfriend replied with a wink, following suit.

He gave a wave to Adrien and Marinette.

"Hey, dude, be sure to text me next time you're free, alright? We'll hit up that arcade I was telling you about."

"Sure thing," Adrien replied with a grin and a wave.

 _It don't do me any good  
_ _It's just a waste of time_

Marinette was looking at Alya with panic written all over her face and a desperate plea for the other girl to stay in her eyes, but the redhead just winked and waved cheerily to her friend.

"Don't have too much fun, girl."

And then they were alone.

 _What use is it to you  
_ _What's on my mind  
_ _If it ain't coming out  
_ _We're not going anywhere  
_ _So why can't I just tell you that I care_

Marinette fidgeted with the wrappings of her sandwich, her mind suddenly and completely blank as a nervous panic crawled up her throat and strangled her voice. Crap!

She couldn't look up, couldn't meet his gaze, and had no idea where to start a conversation. Should she keep talking about Chat and Ladybug? Or would that hit too close to home? Did she dare go into a subject she could slip up on, especially when she seemed so much more prone to slip up with this particular boy around? Was there another subject she could bring up? What subject would that even be? She hardly knew anything about him! She knew he liked video games and was a model who was homeschooled. What could she do with _that_?

 _Cause I'm feeling nervous  
_ _Trying to be so perfect  
_ _Cause I know you're worth it  
_ _You're worth it_

"S-so, you're h-homeschooled?" she finally managed.

She dared to look up and his gaze sent a furious blush across her face and she knew he could clearly see it.

"Yeah, I am."

 _'Speak, Marinette! Open your mouth and say something!'_ her inner voice screamed at her.

"W-what's that like?"

She wanted to kick herself. Was that a stupid question? She had no idea. She should have picked a different topic!

 _If I could say what I want to say  
_ _I'd say I wanna blow you away_

He chuckled.

"Pretty boring, actually. A lot of studying. By myself. And then getting quizzed and tested by my dad's personal assistant, Natalie."

She bit her lip and tried valiantly to slow her heart, which had picked up in speed again at the adorable little half-grin on his face. He glanced away and she wanted to sigh in relief until he looked back at her again.

 _Be with you every night  
_ _Am I squeezing you too tight?  
_ _If I could say what I want to see  
_ _I want to see you go down  
_ _On one knee_

"What's it like to go to school?" he asked, seeming genuinely curious.

She blinked at the question for a long moment and he touched the back of his neck again.

"Sorry, was that a stupid question? I don't really have experience with this sort of thing. Being friends, I mean. With colleagues, there's always something work related to talk about, but here…"

He trailed off and she shook her head.

"N-no, no! I-it wasn't a stupid question, I was just a little surprised. I guess I've never thought about how to describe school to someone. Let me think."

She looked away thoughtfully, studying the trees and the fountain, feeling his gaze on her, and feeling glad that they were sitting because her legs probably wouldn't hold her up very well at the moment.

 _Marry me today  
_ _Guess, I'm wishing my life away  
_ _With these things I'll never say_

"Well, it starts at eight o'clock every morning. I'm late. A lot."

She shrugged and laughed ruefully to herself.

"You'd think getting up before the sun to bake on a regular basis would mean I'd always be early, but, well, yeah."

She laughed self-consciously again and forged on. She had a topic and she going to go for it.

"W-we have assigned seats that we get at the beginning of the year and f-for the most part we stay in the same classroom most of the day, except for things like P.E. w-where you go to the stadium, or science, when we're in the lab."

 _What's wrong with my tongue  
_ _These words keep slipping away_

"S-sometimes at the b-beginning of the year we're assigned to different classes, instead of the one from the previous year, so we have slightly different classmates each time. Alya, Nino, and I h-have been in the same class now for two years and h-hopefully it'll be three when the school year starts."

She made a face.

"I just hope I don't have Chloe. Again."

"Chloe? You don't mean the mayor's daughter, do you?" Adrien asked, surprised by the tone this sweet girl had used when she'd said the girl's name.

Those big blue eyes looked up and he felt his blush redouble.

"You know her?" the little baker asked, her face having lost the adorable little blush she'd had for most of the time she'd been speaking.

"Um, well, yeah. I've known her for years."

Marinette made that disgusted face again and Adrien found that he was surprised that this sweet girl could dislike anyone.

 _I stutter, I stumble  
_ _Like I've got nothing to say_

"I take it you don't like her?" he said, though it was a question that had clearly already been answered by the look on her face.

She shook her head vehemently.

"I've had that brat in my class for the past six years. I don't know if I can deal with another year. She's why so many people in my class have been akumitized, you know."

Adrien's eyebrows shot up.

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah," she said with a nod, meeting his gaze directly again. "I think the only people in my class who haven't been akumitized are…"

She trailed off with a little frown, obviously thinking, and then her frown deepened.

"Me? I think I'm the only one who hasn't been akumitized."

She started counting people off on her fingers as she murmured their names to herself.

"Nino, Alya, Ivan, Sabrina, Nathaniel, Alex, Rose, Juleka, Chloe, Lila, Kim, Max, Mylene…"

The little baker stopped and looked back to him, eyes widening a bit.

"I'm the only one. And most of them were set off by Chloe."

Adrien decided in that moment that maybe he should keep a closer eye on the little baker from now on. If Chloe had set off everyone else in her class to be akumitized, surely even this sweet girl couldn't be immune forever.

The model frowned.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that." He sighed. "I mean, she's always been nice to me."

He shrugged and looked back to Marinette, who was giving him a strange look.

"W-what?"

"S-seriously? Of course she's always been nice to you. Have you seen yourself?"

Adrien felt the blush rising again and reached up to touch the back of his neck nervously. Of course he knew he was good looking, but did people really treat him so differently because of it? Was Marinette being nice because of it? No, that was stupid. She'd been as sweet as the things she baked to everyone who'd been in the store this morning. Surely she couldn't have faked that. No, that was definitely just part of who she was, he decided.

 _Cause I'm feeling nervous  
_ _Trying to be so perfect  
_ _Cause I know you're worth it  
_ _You're worth it_

She was shaking her head now and he realized he'd been awkwardly silent for too long.

"S-sorry," she stammered, looking down at the sandwich wrapper she'd started fidgeting with again. "I-I shouldn't have—"

"No, you're probably right," he interrupted her before she could go on. "I guess I've just never thought about it. I mean, most of the people I work with models. I guess it just never occurred to me that people might treat me differently because of my face."

She was blushing again and it was adorable. He didn't want to look away, even as Ladybug's face flitted through his mind.

 _Guess I'm wishing my life away  
_ _With these things I'll never say_

If only…

 _If I could say what I want to say  
_ _I'd say I wanna blow you away  
_ _Be with you every night  
_ _Am I squeezing you too tight?_

She stood abruptly, crumpling up her wrapper.

"W-well, I-I should probably get b-back," she stammered, voice shaking. "T-to the b-bakery."

He didn't want to leave things so awkwardly. He liked this sweet girl and they'd been talking so easily for a while there. Had he upset her? Would she not want to be friends after all? Had he done something wrong?

Adrien had no idea and not a clue how to fix it.

 _If I could say what I want to see  
_ _I want to see you go down  
_ _On one knee_

"Y-yeah, okay," he said after a moment. "I'll see you around then?"

She nodded nervously and dashed off back towards the bakery. He watched her go, his good mood deflating faster and faster the further away she got.

He made himself turn away, but he didn't want to go home yet. He didn't want to face his father and deal with the rest of what he called his life, so he leaned back in the bench and stared up through the leaves in the trees around him.

 _Marry me today_

Marinette paused at the door that led to the apartment and glanced back to see that he was still sitting there, looking a bit like a lost puppy and thoroughly unhappy as he stared up into the trees.

 _Guess, I'm wishing my life away  
_ _With these things I'll never say_

She glanced down, biting her lip.

 _These things I'll never say_


	5. Who I'd Be

Chapter 4: Who I'd Be

Marinette's courage had failed her and she'd turned and retreated inside the bakery. She wasn't needed in the afternoons and so there was nothing for her to do except head back to her room. She attempted homework for half an hour before she knew it was a lost cause. She'd been staring at the same problem for ten minutes before she sighed and closed the book, heading for her rooftop instead. She may as well enjoy the day.

That was when she spotted the model, still sitting on the bench where she'd left him, staring up into the trees. Marinette frowned at herself, then pulled out her phone to call Alya, who was not thrilled.

"Girl, you get your sugar-coated butt back out there and apologize!"

"But Alya—"

"Don't you 'but Alya' me, girl. We've been friends too long for me to let you pass up this golden opportunity with the love of your life just because you got a little nervous and freaked out, you hear?"

"Alya, he probably thinks I'm a giant weirdo now and, besides, he probably doesn't feel anything like that towards me!"

"And how will you know for sure unless you go talk to him?"

Marinette groaned.

"That's what I thought. He still out there?"

"Yes."

"Then go! You got this, girl! I know you do. Just be yourself."

Marinette took a deep breath, bracing herself.

"Okay, you're right. I can do this!"

"That's my girl!"

Adrien's eyes popped open when the smell of fresh croissants suddenly hit him and he saw that a paper bag had appeared right in front of his face. He turned and saw that Marinette was standing behind the bench and was watching him with a nervous smile. His mood suddenly brightened and he gave her a huge grin.

"You came back."

"Y-yeah, s-sorry," she replied, looking sheepish. "I-I just…"

She trailed off, not wanting to admit she had been nervous because she was completely in love with him.

"It's okay," he replied, standing up and walking around to her side. "I didn't mean to scare you off."

"N-no! It wasn't you, i-it's just that…" she trailed off with a sigh and pushed the bag towards him until he took it. "T-there's a reason I bake instead of talk."

He grinned and dug a croissant out of the bag, munching away at it happily, and gesturing in an invitation to walk. Marinette smiled and they fell into step, beginning to wander around the park.

"I didn't get a chance to tell you earlier," he said around a mouthful. "But you're seriously the best baker in France."

She blushed scarlet.

"R-really? Y-you think so?"

"Absolutely. I have gourmet chefs at home that you'd put to shame."

Marinette was so flustered by the praise she could barely manage to squeak a 'thank you'.

"So," he asked as he finished off the first croissant. "What's your favorite thing to bake?"

"F-favorite thing to bake?" she repeated, still blushing furiously, and then laughed. "That's like asking me what my favorite book or song is. That's an impossible question!"

She laughed again and he looked at her curiously.

"Why?"

The baker bit her lower lip and looked away, lost in thought for a long moment.

"Oh, how do I say it? I-it's like, every book or song that I love is because I've found a little piece of myself it in. The same sort of thing applies to baking. For me, anyway. Every pie, every pastry, every loaf of bread, I put a little piece of myself in it and I get something even grander back out."

She giggled self-consciously when she saw he was staring at her, and blushed prettily.

"T-that probably sounds pretty stupid, huh?"

He shook his head.

"No, not at all. I think it's beautiful. I wish I had something like that in my life."

She looked at him, surprised.

"You don't?"

He shrugged.

"Well, no. I guess I haven't really had a chance to figure out what I want for my life because I'm so busy trying to keep up with what my father wants for it."

"Alright," she said as he finished off the second croissant and tossed the bag away in a passing trashcan. "Then tell me, what would you be, if you could be anything in the world?"

He glanced over at her and caught a mischievous glint in her eye that seemed to challenge him. He grinned, clasping his hands behind his back as they strolled, and looked to the sky.

What would he be?

He decided to tease her a little bit.

" _I guess I'd be a hero  
_ _With sword and armor clashing  
_ _Looking semi dashing  
_ _A shield within my grip."_

He paused to strike a noble pose, pretending he was holding a sword and shield, and she giggled, widening his own grin. Adrien found he liked the sound, so he went on.

" _Or else I'd be a viking  
_ _And live a life of daring  
_ _While smelling like a herring  
_ _Upon a viking ship"_

"A herring?" Marinette repeated.

She made a face of such disgust that it was his turn to laugh. Then he jumped up onto a bench they were passing and pointed to a horizon he couldn't see for the buildings.

" _I'd sail away, I'd see the world  
_ _I'd reach the farthest reaches  
_ _I'd feel the wind, I'd taste the salt and sea  
_ _And maybe storm, some beaches"_

He gave a battle cry and jumped down, making the little baker laugh in delight. Then he leaned closer with a fierce grin on his face.

" _That's who I'd be, that's who I'd be."_

Marinette couldn't help the laugh that escaped her, even as his sudden proximity made her blush darken.

"I-I don't know. I can't see you as Viking."

He struck a model's pose with a cheeky grin.

"I know, I know, too good looking, right?" he told her with a wink, making her snort a laugh, even as her heart sped up and her blush darkened further.

"Alright then," he continued.

" _Or I could be a poet  
_ _And write a different story  
_ _One that tells of glory  
_ _And wipes away the lies"_

She nodded thoughtfully as he looked up and threw his arms wide.

" _Into the skies I'd throw it  
_ _The stars would do the telling  
_ _The moon would help with spelling  
_ _And night would dot the 'I's"_

"So the moon is a good speller? I'll have to remember that," she quipped with another cute giggle.

He wrinkled his nose at her, still grinning.

" _I'd write my verse, recite a joke  
_ _With wit and perfect timing"_

Adrien picked up her hand and held it to his heart as he continued dramatically.

" _I'd share my heart, confess the things I yearn  
_ _And do it all while rhyming"_

Her blush deepened again, her laugh a bit nervous this time and he dropped her hand to continue their stroll as he pondered what he'd actually said.

People considered Chat Noir a hero, but it wasn't nearly as much fun as it sounded. It was actually pretty lonely a lot of the time. When his lady wasn't around, there was no one else he could share it with.

 _But we all learn, but we all learn  
_ _A_ hero _always hides  
_ _A_ hero's _fate is known  
_ _A_ hero _always stays  
_ _In the dark and all alone_

He had Ladybug, so he wasn't entirely alone, but he couldn't help but wish that there was someone else he could talk to about those things.

"Would you really want to be a hero?" Marinette asked, seeming to have been lost in her own thoughts as well. "It… seems rather lonely, don't you think? I mean, Ladybug and Chat Noir, nobody even knows who they are. Wouldn't that be hard? Keeping that kind of secret from everyone? Especially the people close to you?"

She paused and glanced up at him, blushing, and feeling as though she'd said too much, but Adrien simply looked thoughtful for a long moment. It was like she'd read his mind, so he countered with the argument he always used on himself.

"Yeah," he said after a long moment, in which they left the park and moved out onto the sidewalks. "But at the same time, think of all the good they do, all the people they help. It would be the greatest calling in the world!"

He grinned and grabbed her hand.

"Come on."

Then he took off running, a huge grin on his face and a shocked Marinette in his wake. He ran a full six blocks all out before they both had to stop catch their breath. The model leaned on the little baker as he panted and she gave a faint laugh, trying to push him off, which made him laugh and lean a bit more.

She slipped away from him, laughing when it made him unbalance and flail. As he righted himself, she kept walking and he darted after her. Catching up, he continued his original train of thought in a mischievous tone.

" _So yes, I'd be a hero  
_ _And if my wish were granted  
_ _Life would be enchanted  
_ _Or so the stories say"_

He tugged her arm to pull her down another street which let out onto the Eiffel Tower grounds.

" _Of course I'd be a hero  
_ _And I would scale a tower"_

Adrien came to a stop, putting an arm around her waist and pointing up at the Eiffel Tower as he went on, looking pointedly down at her.

" _And save a hothouse flower  
_ _And carry her away"_

She laughed at his antics, but he could tell how nervous she was, so he released her and moved away, acting as though he were fighting an invisible opponent with a sword.

" _But standing guard there'd be a beast  
_ _I'd somehow overwhelm it"_

He killed it with a flourish and she laughed, even as she clapped. He moved in suddenly closer again, still speaking as he picked her up and spun her.

" _I'd get the girl, I'd take a breath  
_ _And I'd remove my helmet"_

He set her down and their eyes met. He froze, his hands still at her waist, and found that he was lost in those beautiful blue eyes again. There was a long silence between them before he managed to make his mouth form words again.

" _We'd stand and stare  
_ _We'd speak of love  
_ _We'd feel the stars ascending  
_ _We'd share a kiss  
_ _I'd find my destiny"_

He turned away, breaking the contact, which was making his heart pound and his breath a bit short, to strike a noble pose, his invisible sword extended.

" _I'd have a hero's ending  
_ _A perfect happy ending  
_ _That's how it would be"_

She was laughing again and he looked over his shoulder with a grin.

"I'm sure that's exactly how it would work, too," she said, still giggling and blushing furiously.

He opened his mouth to reply, when he felt his phone begin to buzz in his pocket. His grin fell away as he dug it out and looked at the caller I.D.

Adrien looked up and met Marinette's happy gaze.

 _A big bright beautiful world  
_ _But not for me_

"I have to take this," he said, his entire demeanor suddenly subdued.

She nodded, her eyes now sympathetic as they registered the change in his mood.

"I-I should get back anyway. Homework to finish still."

The little baker waved with a final smile before she turned and headed off, back the way they had come.

Adrien sighed and answered his father's call.

 _A_ hero _always hides  
_ _A_ hero's _fate is known  
_ _A_ hero _always stays  
_ _In the dark and all alone_

"Where are you?" Gabriel Agreste's cold voice demanded. "Natalie informed me that you did not show for the interview this morning and you have not been answering her calls. That is completely unacceptable behavior, Adrien."

"I'm sorry, father," the boy replied, not letting any emotion leak into his voice. "I won't miss the reschedule and I will apologize to Natalie as soon as I get home."

"Where are you?" his father demanded again. "I'll send the car."

"I'm not far, don't bother the driver. I'll be home shortly."

"Do so, then. I expect better from you, Adrien."

The call cut off abruptly and the young man lowered the silent phone with a sigh as his gaze wandered up to the Eiffel Tower before him.

 _So yes, I'd be a hero  
_ _And if my wish were granted  
_ _Life would be enchanted  
_ _Or so the stories say_

He looked to where Marinette was still visible at the edge of the crowds, making her way home, and couldn't help the little smile that tugged at his lips, despite his soured mood.

 _Of course I'd be a hero  
_ _And I would scale a tower  
_ _And save a hot-house flower  
_ _And carry her away_

Adrien slipped his phone back into his pocket and began his own trek home, wondering how different his life could have been if he'd met Marinette before he'd met his lady.

 _A perfect happy ending  
_ _That's how it should be_

X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

A/N: Don't forget to review guys! I love hearing from you all! :)  
The song is "Who I'd Be" from Shrek the Musical. The line "A hero always hides..." is actually "An ogre always hides..." but I took some minor creative liberties since Adrien obviously isn't ogre-ish. Lol.


	6. Come Dance with Me

Chapter 5: Come Dance with Me

Adrien apologized sincerely to Natalie when he got home, knowing full well she hadn't deserved to be ignored like that, especially since she probably got the raw end of the deal when she had to tell his father about the missed interview. She forgave him and made him promise not to miss the interview next weekend before she let him escape to his room. Luckily, his father hadn't made an appearance.

Despite the reprimands and knowing he'd be hearing about it when his father did make it home, Adrien found that he was actually still in a good mood. Making actual friends and talking with them about things completely unrelated to modeling was such an unusual thing that it made him almost giddy.

That evening, after Natalie thought he'd gone to bed, he snuck out for patrol. It was a pretty night, mostly cloudless, and the stars were as bright as the moon, which shone down like a spotlight on the City of Lights.

What a beautiful night to meet his lady. The thought made him smile as he vaulted between rooftops, going over his usual route before he could meet her at the Eiffel Tower, as was their custom.

Chat saw that there was a swing band performing under the Tower's shadow as he drew near, and it made him grin. His lady was already there, listening with a little smile on her face as he dropped down next to her.

She was breathtaking in the moonlight, or any light for that matter, and turned her happy little smile to her partner as he sat down.

"Hey, Chat."

"Good evening, my lady," he said, matching her grin. "You're looking _purrr_ fecty lovely tonight."

Ladybug rolled her eyes, but didn't have an immediate comeback like she usually did. She didn't seem upset, but thoughtful, her mind elsewhere. Chat leaned in close to her as she turned away again.

"Something on my lady's mind?" he purred in her ear.

She pushed his face away without looking at him.

"Just pondering my day, kitty."

"Something interesting happen?"

She hummed thoughtfully.

"I suppose you could say that."

Ever eager to catch whatever little glimpses he could of her life outside of the suit, Chat decided to try and nudge a bit more information out of the girl.

"So, what happened?"

She looked over at him frankly for a long moment before her smile faded into a small frown. Ladybug shook her head.

"No, nevermind. It's nothing."

Disappointed, Chat sat back with a slight frown of his own. Ladybug's gaze had wandered down to the band again and, as the song changed, Chat realized he knew this one very well. His grin turned mischievous as he got to his feet and held out a hand to Ladybug as he began to sing along.

" _Hey there, cutes  
_ _Put on your dancing boots  
_ _And come dance with me!"_

She looked up at him, startled out of her thoughts.

"W-what? Dance?"

He spun and grabbed up her hand, pulling her to her feet with a flourish.

" _Come dance with me,  
_ _What an evening for  
_ _Some Terpsichore!"_

"Ch-Chat, I'm really not very good at dancing!" she protested as he pulled her in close and then spun her back out.

Despite her objections, she was light on her feet, and his grin widened.

" _Pretty face,  
_ _I know a swinging place  
_ _Come on, dance with me!"_

Pulling her back to him, he lead her through the steps he knew by heart since that summer his father had insisted that he take dance lessons for the betterment of his posture and posing. Who would have thought it would pay off like this?

" _Romance with me on a crowded floor!"_

That made her laugh.

"Who'd have thought my kitty could dance?" she quipped, still smiling.

"I am a chat of many and varied _tail_ ents," he responded with a wink as he spun her under his arm. "For someone who claims she isn't good at dancing, you seem to be a _paw_ sitive natural at this."

She rolled her eyes at the puns, but her smile didn't waver.

" _And while the rhythm swings,  
_ _What lovely things we'll be saying!"_

He could have spent the rest of his life like this, he decided. So long as he had his lady in his arms, nothing else mattered. Chat pulled her in close again, doing some fancy footwork that made Ladybug snort.

"Showoff."

" _Fur_ you, of course."

That got a full blown laugh out of her.

" _And what is dancing but making love,  
_ _Set the music playing."_

"Chat!"

He laughed.

"I'm _paw_ sitive those are the words, my lady!"

She punched him lightly in the arm, making him laugh again.

" _When the band  
_ _Begins to leave the stand  
_ _And folks start to roam  
_ _As we wing home,  
_ _Cheek to cheek we'll be"_

He pulled her in again so that they were literally dancing cheek-to-cheek and led her through a few spins. Mostly, it was an excuse to hold her closer, and so long as she kept allowing, he would.

For some reason, at that moment, Marinette popped into his mind. That moment this afternoon when he'd picked her up and spun her replayed for him and he mentally tried to shake it off. What was wrong with him? The love of his life was in his arms, dancing with him, and he was thinking about another girl?

Idiot!

" _So come on, come on, come on  
_ _Come on and dance with me!"_

Chat spun her out and then back under his arm.

" _Hey there, sweets,  
_ _Throw on those Latin cleats  
_ _And come dance with me!"_

She broke away with a laugh and Chat continued to dance like she was still in his arms.

" _What I mean is come on and my  
_ _Let's cha-cha-cha!"_

He shook his hips, winking at her as she laughed.

"You're in an unusually good mood tonight," she commented as he spun away on his own.

Chat looked back over his shoulder at her with a quizzical smile.

"What do you mean, my lady? I'm always in a good mood with your adora _paw_ l self around."

" _And leave your sweat  
_ _And do the bongo bit  
_ _Come on, dance with me!"_

She shook her head.

"No, you always smile, but tonight you're genuinely happy. Something good happened today, didn't it?"

He shrugged as he continued his solo dance. He hadn't realized he'd been that obvious.

"I guess it did."

Chat paused and held out a hand to her again with a grin.

" _Romance with me  
_ _Ooh, la, la, la, la"_

Ladybug shook her head with a grin, even as she reached for the offered fingers and he guided her back into the dance. She loved seeing him this happy. In fact, she wasn't sure she'd ever seen him quite this happy in the whole of their partnership. It made her wonder what exactly had gone on in his civilian life today, but she wouldn't ask. She was just happy to see him so happy for once.

Chat was still singing in her ear as he led her through a dance she never would have tried if he hadn't looked so happy and eager tonight.

" _I don't care what it has,  
_ _Cause that jambo jazz makes me move it!  
_ _And we charade when the band starts to groove it,  
_ _They groove it!"_

She kept worrying that one of these spins she would trip up and go flying right off the side of the Eiffel Tower, but Chat was too good of a dancer to let his partner slip and she kept gliding along gracefully in his arms.

" _Come on by,  
_ _'Cause we're all set to fly  
_ _And I'll let you lead  
_ _If that's agreed,  
_ _You'll know where I'll be!"_

He brought her in close again, making her grin. She liked this happier Chat. Whatever had brought this about, she hoped it kept happening.

" _Come on, come on, come on  
_ _Come on, come on, come on  
_ _Come on, come on, come on  
_ _Come and dance with me!"_

He did the hip shake again and she tried to follow, but laughed too much at her own horrible attempts.

" _I'll do the cha-cha-cha  
_ _Ooh, the merengue"_

He was laughing too, pulling her in and putting his cheek next to hers.

" _We'll grow the tango"_

She turned her head and found their faces were barely an inch apart now. Chat leaned in ever so slightly as he sang the last line.

" _Come on and dance with me!"_

She ducked her head and Chat suppressed a sigh. So close, yet so far. He righted them and released her gently so that she didn't stumble, but kept ahold of her hand as the last notes of the song hung in the air.

"Goodnight, my lady," he said softly, kissing the back of her hand.

Then he extended his baton and was off into the night. Why was it, when he'd been holding Ladybug, the girl he'd been in love with for nearly two years now, it was Marinette's face he saw? He felt a bit guilty at that, even though Ladybug had never once expressed interest in him romantically outside of a few flirtatious quips here and there. He felt suddenly torn and uneasy.

It was a long time before he made it home.

X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

A/N: I suppose I should mention that all four corners of the square will be hit throughout the story huh? Lol. I'm glad to see you're all enjoying it so far. It's nice to know fluff is appreciated as much as angst. :)  
The song is "Come Dance with Me" originally by Frank Sinatra, but I'm a fan of Michael Buble's version.  
Till next chapter kids! :)


	7. Kaleidoscope

Chapter 6: Kaleidoscope

Monday, Marinette woke, fully expecting that her crush on Adrien Agreste would have diminished a bit. She had convinced herself that it was a temporary state of being and that a good night's sleep would set her brain to rights. After all, she had been extremely sleep deprived the previous day. Obviously, she never would have reacted so strongly otherwise, right?

Unfortunately, she was destined to be disappointed when she pulled up his picture on her computer and felt her heart pick up it's pace. Her brain may or may not have been convinced that the crush was temporary, but that shouldn't have been the organ she was worrying about. She groaned and slammed her head down on her keyboard painfully. Tikki winced as her chosen sat back up with a yelp, nursing her forehead.

"Oh, Marinette," the kwami sighed, shaking her head.

"Tikki," she whined. "It's just a crush! It's supposed to go _away_! Why isn't it?"

The little red kwami gave her chosen that knowing look again and Marinette scowled.

"No. _No_ , Tikki. I _can't_ be in love with him!"

Tikki huffed and crossed her arms.

"Why not?"

Marinette's hands began churring the air as she stood and paced her room.

"Because! Because he's… he's… he's, him!"

She paused long enough to gesture at the computer screen before she picked up her pacing and arm flailing again.

"Because he's sweet and understanding and gorgeous and has that heart-melting laugh and that little lopsided grin that's too adorable for his own good and he makes me stutter and act like a complete moron and say stupid things and run away in a panic and… and… and!"

She turned on her kwami, gaze desperate.

"And he's _way_ out of my league, Tikki!"

"No he's not, Marinette!" the kwami insisted, but her chosen was too deep into her rant to listen.

"I mean, he's this famous model who could have any girl in France! There's no way he'd ever want some stupid, stuttering, wanna-be baker, he barely even knows! I could never compete with the girls he works with! They're _models_! I'm miles out of his league! I'm lucky to be able to _see_ his league!"

"Marinette!"

The bluenette pulled up short as her kwami flew right into her face. Tikki had her hands on her hips and was looking at the little baker sternly.

"Now you listen to me. I have been around thousands of years and I have _never_ had a Ladybug who wasn't talented and kind and caring and smart, and you are no exception to that, Marinette. You never give yourself enough credit."

She lost the stern expression, seeing that she'd gotten Marinette off the self-pity train, and flew forward to nuzzle at the bluenette's cheek.

"Thanks, Tikki," the little baker said softly.

Then she sighed.

"I still don't want to be in love though."

Tikki giggled.

"Oh, Marinette."

Tuesday was no different than Monday had been on the crush front, but Marinette tried to stay hopeful that it would fade by later in the week. Nino had made plans for that afternoon to meet Adrien at the arcade the DJ loved and invited Marinette along to kick their butts at Sole Survivor III. She declined, saying she had been planning on trying something new with macaroons as soon as her father let her have the kitchen. Alya gave her an odd look, but didn't comment.

Wednesday was no better than it's predecessors and Thursday was even worse when she found herself seriously contemplating buying a magazine because he was on the cover. She could have kicked herself and felt her hopes that this stupid crush would go away on it's own quickly diminishing.

Friday, she gave up and finally admitted, to no one but herself for now, that she might actually be in love with Adrien Agreste, but she wasn't about to tell anyone else until she could come to better terms with it. She still didn't want to be in love, wasting all her time on a boy, but apparently she and her heart were going to be on disagreeable terms for a while.

Stupid hormones.

"Hey, dudes," Nino said, turning around in his seat as they were dismissed for lunch break. "Wanna hit up the arcade with me and Adrien later? He says he has a photoshoot, but he can meet us after."

"Sounds like fun," Alya said. "You in, Marinette?"

The bluenette nodded and Nino grinned.

"Awesome! I think he might actually beat you at a few games. He's pretty good."

The baker smirked.

"Yeah, we'll see about that."

When school let out for the day, the trio walked to the main entrance. Nino pulled up short as a text from Adrien came through.

"Guess we're going to a photoshoot," he announced as he sent a reply.

Marinette tried to put a lid on the sudden case of nerves that pounced on her.

"What are you talking about?"

"Adrien says they're running behind schedule so I figure we may as well head over there first."

Alya shrugged and linked an arm through Marinette's.

"Works for me. Let's go."

It was only a twenty minute walk from the school, but they could hear the screaming from a block away and at first Marinette was afraid it was an akuma attack. She started trying to think of ways to ditch Alya and Nino as they turned the corner and saw that no, it wasn't an akuma. It was an angry female model, yelling at another girl, who had a coffee cup in each hand and a downcast expression.

What the heck?

Adrien was standing off to the side, looking at the sky like he wished he was anywhere else right then, the photographer stood with his arms crossed, and several other people who were obviously tied to the shoot stood around with varying degrees of annoyance, anger, and pity on their faces.

Nino gave a little wave to get Adrien's attention and the blonde grinned, jogging over to them and away from the disturbance.

"Dude, what's that about?"

The model rolled his eyes.

"She was brought the wrong kind of tea."

"Tell me you're joking," Alya said, eyes wide.

"I wish I was," Adrien said with a sigh. "I may not be able to come at all at this rate."

"Man, that sucks!" Nino said. "And I had Marinette convinced to come and try and beat you at Sole Survivor III."

That green gaze turned on her and the little baker felt herself flush as he gave her an apologetic smile. Dang it! It wasn't fair! _Why_ did he have to be that handsome? It should be illegal.

"I'm sorry I have to miss it," he told her.

"Y-yeah, m-me too," she managed.

There was a screech from the direction of the female model and they all turned to look as she stormed off, the girl with the cups in her wake, and the photographer turning his back to the whole thing.

"Hang on, guys," Adrien said before he jogged back over to see what had happened.

They watched as he spoke briefly with the photographer, who then looked over at them and stared thoughtfully for a moment. He said something to Adrien, who shrugged slightly, before marching over towards the trio as the model followed him.

"What are your sizes?" the photographer asked, pointing at Marinette.

The bluenette was so startled that she actually pointed at herself.

"M-me?"

"Yes, you, sizes?"

She told him and he grinned.

"Perfect-o! You're going to be a model today. Makeup!" he called over his shoulder and three women came towards her, one pulling out mascara and lip gloss, one wielding a tape measure and a pair of scissors, and one brandishing a comb and brush.

"W-what?"

Marinette looked from Alya and Nino to Adrien with panic in her eyes. Had she just been forcibly volunteered to replace the screaming girl? The blonde put an arm around her shoulders, making her freeze where she was.

"It's okay," he said gently. "You don't have to, if you don't want to, but I'd enjoy your company."

The proximity was making her beet red and words refused to leave her, so all she could do was nod dumbly. Adrien grinned and released her as she was surrounded and dragged away to change.

Fifteen minutes later when Marinette reappeared, Adrien found that he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was even more lovely than usual. Her hair had been let down and left free with only a couple of bobby-pins to keep it out of her face and her already pretty features had been enhanced by the makeup artist. Since they were supposed to be modeling a spring collection, she had been put in a backless, sea-foam green dress and a pair of white heels for the first round.

Marinette looked beautiful, but also nervous and completely uncomfortable. Seeing this, Adrien jogged to her side and gave her a smile, which sent a blush across her cheeks.

"You don't look very sure about this."

She swallowed hard.

"W-well, I-I'm not," she admitted shakily. "I n-never w-wear heels and dresses aren't r-really my thing."

"Nope," he agreed with a grin. "Your thing is jeans and a t-shirt while you bake, but if it'll make you feel better, I'll promise to let you teach me to bake if you'll let me teach you to model."

He winked roguishly and took more pleasure than he should have in her deepened blush and wide eyes. She seemed at a loss for words for a long moment before she managed a nod.

"O-okay."

Adrien took her hand and led her to the photographer, who directed them where to stand. The blonde still held the little baker's hand and he gave it a squeeze as he slipped his other hand to her waist so that they faced each other.

"Just breath, Marinette," he told her in a low voice. "Follow my lead. And try to smile."

She gave him a nervous smile that made him laugh, which made her giggle nervously in turn. He leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers.

"You look beautiful by the way. The dress suits you."

She grinned and blushed prettily.

"T-thanks."

 _My life  
_ _My life was black and white and I believed it  
_ _I believed it_

"Dance with me?" he asked.

Her eyes went wide.

"I-I don't dance."

"Sure you do," he said. "Every time you're baking you dance. Just pretend. That's half the battle of modeling."

 _My eyes  
_ _My eyes looked at the world but couldn't see it  
_ _I couldn't see it_

"B-but… heels…"

"Don't worry. I won't let you fall."

She swallowed hard and nodded, so he gently spun her out, keeping hold of her hand. Her skirts spun around her and she looked back at him with a grin he couldn't help but match. She was genuinely shocked that she hadn't fallen.

 _You're like the thing that makes the universe explode  
_ _Into the colors of a world I've never known  
_ _You keep turning, keep turning my life around_

He could hear the camera clicking away and, having worked with this photographer a lot over the years, knew the man would let him explore with what he felt like doing, unless he just wasn't giving them the shots they needed.

"So," he asked the little baker casually as he brought her back in and held her so that he stood behind and a little to the side of her. "You still think I'd make a terrible Viking?"

That startled a laugh out of her. He liked hearing that sound and his grin widened.

 _Violets and purples  
_ _Diamonds and circles  
_ _You're my kaleidoscope_

"Y-you would make a _horrible_ Viking," she confirmed, looking sideways at him.

"Ah, too bad," he said with a dramatic sigh. "And here I was, really getting used to the idea."

He sat on the short wall behind them and pulled her down into his lap as he did, earning himself a squeak of surprise and a shocked face. He grinned up at her and she blushed again

 _I love every minute  
_ _You've got me in it  
_ _You're my kaleidoscope_

She wrinkled her nose at him playfully and he returned the face, making her snort a laugh. Then she stood and pulled him up after her.

"I-I thought we were dancing," she said. "Tired already?"

In reply, he picked her up by the waist and spun her, getting a small shriek of laughter from the girl.

In the background, the camera kept clicking away.

 _Hey la nah nah oh  
_ _You keep turning, keep turning my life around  
_ _Hey la nah nah oh  
_ _You keep turning, keep turning my life around_

As they took a break to change, Adrien found he couldn't stop smiling. He was having more fun than he ever had at a photoshoot before. He shook his head as he slipped on the next t-shirt. That girl really was something.

 _Tonight  
_ _The stars are in your eyes and I surrender  
_ _I surrender_

Her next outfit was much more her, he thought; blue shorts and a sleeveless, flowing pink top with some sort of abstract design. Then he noticed they'd put her in wedges. Poor girl. Those weren't much better than heels.

Adrien held out a hand to her and she took it.

 _Tonight  
_ _Our hands against the wind, we are forever  
_ _We are forever_

She stumbled a bit and he caught her, turning it into a low dip, as though they were still dancing. Big blue eyes stared back up at him, surprised, and his smile softened. Gently, he righted them both and found that she was pressed entirely up against him, and he was entirely caught in that lovely gaze.

 _It all looks better when I see it with you here  
_ _You keep turning, keep turning my life around_

Adrien was brought back to himself when the photographer cleared his throat. The blonde glanced over and caught the raised eyebrow. He smiled sheepishly and pulled away from the little baker so that he was only holding her hand now. It surprised him how natural that felt.

 _Violets and purples  
_ _Diamonds and circles  
_ _You're my kaleidoscope_

Marinette's heart was racing in her chest, but she did her best to play along with whatever poses Adrien thought up for them. She had no idea what she was doing and felt like a newborn fawn, all tumbling, shaky limbs, but no one was complaining, even Adrien, so she kept at it.

 _I love every minute  
_ _You've got me in it  
_ _You're my kaleidoscope_

She caught sight of Alya and Nino watching patiently from outside the circle of professionals. The former gave her a wink and a thumbs up, to which she rolled her eyes, even as she blushed.

 _Hey la nah nah oh  
_ _You keep turning, keep turning my life around  
_ _Hey la nah nah oh  
_ _You keep turning, keep turning my life around_

The third outfit was the one she was most comfortable in, Marinette decided. It was a yellow and white polka-dotted jumper with a pink undershirt and white flats. Thank heavens! Another pair of heels and even her luck might have run out. Each of the previous pairs of shoes had given her visions of twisted ankles and hospital trips. These she was almost positive wouldn't make her injure herself.

 _I closed my eyes to the orange skies  
_ _Living all of my days the same  
_ _Then you came along, and you sang your song  
_ _And the whole world around me changed_

The photographer pointed them to a swing set for the last group of photos and Adrien had her sit as he did most of the work. He pushed her on the swing a bit and posed around her so that she hardly had to do anything at all.

 _Violets and purples  
_ _Diamonds and circles  
_ _You're my kaleidoscope_

Adrien took the swing next to her as the photographer changed angles and began swinging himself as he looked over at her and winked. She blushed and giggled, swinging herself gently in an opposite rhythm than he had picked up.

 _I love every minute  
_ _You've got me in it  
_ _You're my kaleidoscope_

When the photographer waved them on, Marinette stood so that she was leaning between the chains of the swing and Adrien slipped in behind her, leaning out to one side as she looked back at him with a grin. She kept getting lost in those gorgeous green eyes that looked back at her so intently.

 _Hey la nah nah oh  
_ _You keep turning, keep turning my life around  
_ _Hey la nah nah oh  
_ _You keep turning, keep turning my life around_

Then he moved around to her side, slipping an arm around her waist to pull her close. He leaned down towards her then, as she looked up at him, and their noses bumped, making them both laugh.

 _You're my kaleidoscope  
_ _You're my kaleidoscope_

Then, someone screamed.

X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

A/N: UGH UGH UGH this freaking chapter! I can't explain how hard it was to find a song I was semi-okay with for this. Every time I thought I had a good one, I'd listen to it again and wonder why I'd thought it would work. Still not entirely convinced this is the right one, but after spending a week trying to get it right, I give up. Lol. You guys can let me know how I did. :)

Anyway, this one is "Kaleidoscope" by A Great Big World. It's a catchy little tune that I've fallen in love with.

Also, if you're interested in the music, I've made a Spotify playlist called "Sugar & Butter" where I'll be adding songs as I publish chapters so you guys can see exactly the songs I'm using. :) Till next chapter!


	8. She's A Lady

Chapter 7: She's a Lady

Five months was a long time.

People could forget, given that much time without a threat. People could begin to think to themselves that maybe, just maybe, there was no more threat. Maybe there was nothing to fear any longer.

People are fools.

If anyone else had ever witnessed his powers being put into play, they would have known the scene. They would have recognized the dark room, lit only by the light from the large, circular window before him, and the sight of the white butterflies swarming would have been as familiar as the back of their own hand.

They would know how the scene would unfold. He would hold out his hand and summon one of the butterflies to him. He would cover the little insect with his other hand and his dark power would flow into the tiny creature.

What the observer would have noted, then, was a slight change. It was a small thing which would have gone unnoticed by anyone who hadn't seen the power play out two dozen times already. It was all about timing. The observer would have realized that he pressed power into the butterfly for a full four seconds beyond what he had every other time.

Then, he finally released it and the little butterfly, trailing dark spots of power, flitted it's way out the center of the giant window. Those dark spots were new, too.

He didn't expect this akuma to be any more successful than any of the others. He had longer reaching goals in mind this time.

The little butterfly found it's target, a girl upset about her boss's injustices or some such twaddle, and he offered her power to right the wrongs done to her over the years. She accepted and he dubbed her Super Assistant. It was rather lacking compared to the other names he'd given his previous tools, but it would suffice.

Now to see how his experiment would go…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Of all the times Hawkmoth could attack, Adrien grumped to himself, of course the man would choose to interrupt now. How was he going to make sure Marinette was safe and still get away to be Chat Noir?

On the other hand, Adrien almost could have thanked the villain for his impeccable timing. He couldn't believe he'd almost kissed Marinette, or at least been sorely tempted to. Another thirty seconds and who knew what he would have done. He was in love with Ladybug! What the hell had gotten into him?

As the akuma victim rounded the corner, the blonde grabbed the little baker's hand.

"Run!"

They took off, side-by-side, following on Alya and Nino's heels as their friends took off as well. All four of them joined the rush of people fleeing the area as Marinette and Adrien schemed how to let go of the other's hand while seeming natural. A particularly panicked man helped them out by rushing between them and breaking the hold. As the two kept running forward, they also let themselves drift further and further away from each other, while still shooting glances at the other to make sure they were still headed to safety.

Adrien broke out of the crowd first and ducked behind a building.

"Plagg, transform me!"

Chat Noir shot himself skyward and landed running on top of the building. He paused at the edge to look over the area and spotted Marinette, still running with the crowd. Then he saw her slip and disappear for a moment in the stampede. It wasn't until she reappeared a moment later, looking annoyed but no worse for wear, that he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Before he knew what he was doing, Chat Noir had vaulted down, scooped up the little baker, who was almost as surprised as Chat was, and took off towards the rooftops again. He didn't stop until he was out of sight of the akuma. Then he set Marinette down gently.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Chat Noir?" she said, sounding breathless and looking at him wide-eyed.

He grinned cheekily and gave her a sweeping bow.

"At your service, _purrr_ incess."

He straightened and took a closer look at her. She didn't look as though she'd been hurt, but he felt the need to make sure.

"Are you alright?" he asked again.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but the akuma…"

She trailed off and looked back the way they had come. Chat was already inching toward the edge of the roof again.

"Yeah, I'd better get back to it. Stay safe, _purrr_ incess."

He gave her a wink and a two-finger salute before leaping off the side of the building as he extended his baton. Marinette put her hands on her hips as she watched him. Tikki flitted out of her jacket.

"What the heck has gotten into him?" the bluenette wondered, looking at her kwami.

"Beats me," said Tikki with a shrug.

Marinette shook her head.

"Nevermind. Not important right now. Tikki, spots on!"

 _Well, she's all you'd ever want  
_ _She's the kind I'd like to flaunt and take to dinner_

Ladybug reached the scene of the chaos and stopped to get her bearings. The akuma victim wore a business suit, four inch heels, and her now-purple hair was pulled back into a tight bun. She was also floating in the air and sending attacks at Chat.

People who had been caught in the attacks were either swept away in a sea of coffee or wrapped up like mummies in sticky notes. Chat was dodging a rain of sticky notes, but was about to get caught between them and another wave of coffee coming from the opposite direction.

Apparently this akuma could use more than one attack at a time. That was worrying.

 _But she always knows her place  
_ _She's got style, she's got grace  
_ _She's a winner_

Ladybug tossed her yo-yo, wrapping it around Chat's ankle as he did a backflip, and pulled as she jumped to the ground. He came flying toward her and she caught him bridal style just before she landed. He did a double-take when he found himself looking up at Ladybug all of a sudden, a bit confused by the sequence of events, but grinned roguishly a moment later.

"Ah, the _highlighter_ of my life has arrived!"

Ladybug winced.

"Chat, that was terrible."

"Hey!" he said defensively. "Office puns are hard!"

Ladybug rolled her eyes and dropped him. Chat, having expected as much, bounced right back up with his usual grin, but guilt was clawing at his insides. Sure, he wasn't actually in a romantic relationship with her, but he was still in love with Ladybug and it felt like he'd cheated on her with Marinette. Neither girl deserved that.

He felt like such a creep.

 _She's a lady  
_ _Oh, whoa, whoa, she's a lady  
_ _Talkin' about that little lady  
_ _And the lady is mine_

"Any idea what the item is?"

Chat shook his head.

"Haven't been able to spot anything yet."

"Go left, I'll go right," Ladybug said, readying her yo-yo. "See if we can't pin her down."

Chat grinned and looked at the flying woman who was coming towards them.

"Looks like someone hasn't had their coffee yet!" he called to her.

She screamed and sent a wave of the stuff at them.

"Oops," Chat said as the superheroes leapt in opposite directions and ran. "Can't stay _stationary_ around her, can we?"

He heard his lady groan, which made him chuckle as he extended his baton and went for a frontal assalt.

 _Well she's never in the way  
_ _Always something nice to say, and what a blessin'  
_ _I can leave her on her own  
_ _Knowin' she's okay alone and there's no messin'_

As they leapt and dodged between and around the akuma's attacks, Ladybug began to feel uneasy. All they were doing was dodging. They weren't getting anywhere near the woman and she still had no idea what the akumitized item was.

"Maybe it's her bracelet?" Chat panted as they ran across the rooftops of Paris with the woman flying on their heels.

"Worth a shot," his lady replied, just as breathlessly. "Lucky charm!"

A weighted net dropped into her hands.

"Chat!"

"On it!"

He vaulted off calling to the woman.

"I can't _espresso_ how much I dislike the _notes_ you've been leaving me!"

 _She's a lady  
_ _Oh, whoa, whoa, she's a lady  
_ _Talkin' about that little lady  
_ _And the lady is mine_

Ladybug rolled the net up onto one arm to keep it from tripping her as she pulled up short and looked around.

Flagpole, Chat's baton… at the right angle it could work.

"Chat!" she called to her partner.

He glanced over at her just long enough to see where she was pointing, and nod, before jumping and rolling out of the way of a stream of coffee.

 _Well, she never asks very much  
_ _And I don't refuse her  
_ _Always treat her with respect  
_ _I never would abuse her_

As he came up, he threw his baton, lodging it exactly where his lady had pointed, though his gaze was already back on his opponent. Sticky notes flew at him and he threw himself to the side, but he wasn't fast enough and some of them caught his foot. The appendage turned into a useless lead weight immediately.

Chat yelped and fell, his foot dragging behind him. The akuma laughed as he rolled over to face her and she loomed, summoning another wave of coffee.

 _What she's got is hard to find  
_ _And I don't want to lose her  
_ _Well, she knows what I'm about  
_ _She can take what I dish out, and that's not easy_

Ladybug swooped down and scooped her partner out of harm's way just before the dark liquid reached him.

"Whew," Chat breathed in her ear. "Thanks. And by the way, that coffee may be hot, but you're still hotter."

"Don't make me drop you again," she threatened mildly.

"I've already fallen for you, my lady. You can't drop me any further than that."

"Wanna test that theory?" she replied, letting go.

He yelped, but realized a moment later that she'd aimed it perfectly so that he'd gone flying into the net, which she'd strung up between a flagpole and his baton.

And the akuma was zooming after him in a fury.

 _But she knows me through and through  
_ _And she knows just what to do and how to please me  
_ _She's a lady  
_ _Oh, whoa, whoa, she's a lady_

Chat caught the bottom of the net and dangled for a moment as he watched the akuma pull up just short of crashing into it. Then Ladybug's yo-you hit her from behind, the akuma flew forward, and Chat was already climbing towards his baton. As the akuma hit the net, he tugged his weapon free and threw that side of the net towards the other trussed up end. The whole thing dislodged and the akuma tumbled to the ground.

Ladybug pounced, snatching the bracelet off the akuma's wrist, but frowned as she tried to break it. Nothing happened. Chat frowned as well and dropped down beside her.

"My lady?"

"I think I can still break it, but… it's gonna be harder than usual. Hang on."

She dropped the bracelet to the ground and jumped on it with both feet, managing a small crack in one of the beads, but that was enough. Both superheroes were frowning as Ladybug purified the akuma and released what Chat liked to think of as her 'clean-up spell'.

 _Talkin' about that little lady  
_ _And the lady is mine  
_ _Yeah, yeah, yeah, she's a lady  
_ _Oh, whoa, whoa, she's a lady_

Instead of a fist bump, both Chat and Bug looked at each other, obviously concerned.

"What was that?" Chat finally asked.

Ladybug shook her head.

"I don't know, but it was resisting being broken, and she was a lot harder to pin down than usual, wasn't she?"

Chat nodded, frown deepening slightly.

"So it wasn't just me. There was definitely something off about that akuma, wasn't there?"

Ladybug nodded.

"I thought so, too."

 _Listen to me people, she's a lady  
_ _Yeah yeah yeah yeah she's a lady  
_ _Whoa whoa whoa she's a lady  
_ _Talkin' about the little lady_

Reporters were closing in and Ladybug's earrings began to beep, so Chat wiped the frown off his face and winked at his partner.

"I'm definitely going to have to start watching my coffee intake, cause you make my heart palpitate, bugaboo."

She rolled her eyes with a groan, making him grin.

"Really, Chat? More coffee puns?"

"Would you prefer, you're the _ruler_ of my heart?"

She sighed, shaking her head as she put her hands on her hips.

"Incorrigible. That's what you are."

"Always."

He caught her hand and kissed the back of it before she could pull away, but as she bugged out she was shaking her head and suppressing a smile. Chat watched her with a satisfied grin on his own face.

He loved making her smile.

 _She's a lady  
_ _Yeah yeah yeah she's a lady  
_ _Whoa whoa lord, she's a lady  
_ _I can't live without that  
_ _She's a lady  
_ _Ooh ooh she's a lady_

X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

A/N: This is draft number three of this chapter. Why? Because I have 80% of this story plotted out song-wise, but this was one of the rare chapters that I had nothing for yet. I almost wrote this chapter completely without a song which would have greatly disappointed me. So, yeah! :)

The song is "She's A Lady" by Tom Jones. It's a classic.

Also, if you're interested in the spotify playlist and can't find it by searching, PM me and I'll be happy to get you a link. Thanks rainbowrider1290! :)

Qoute - Thanks for the reviews! Your PMing is off so I couldn't thank you. Also, I love one-shots with songs! :)


	9. On Fire

Chapter 8: On Fire

By seven o'clock the next morning, Adrien was sipping his coffee in silence and wishing he could go for a day patrol as Natalie rattled off his schedule.

"Your fencing lessons have been moved to ten o'clock this morning. You have a lunch interview at noon, which should give you enough time to shower and change beforehand. Then your father has requested your presence at the studio for the afternoon as soon as the interview is finished. This evening he has scheduled two hours of language studies with a focus on Italian."

 _They tell you where you need to go  
_ _They tell you when you'll need to leave_

Adrien frowned at his coffee and looked up.

"Study on the weekend? And Italian of all things? Why?"

Natalie lowered her screen and met the model's quizzical gaze.

"He has a contract in the works with a company out of Italy and they will be visiting with us in two weeks. He wants you prepared."

The blonde looked back down at his coffee cup, suppressing the anger he wished he could give voice to. It wasn't Natalie's fault she was the bearer of bad news and he wasn't about to lash out at her for it.

"Visitors" meant that he'd be trotted out like a prize dog to do tricks and impress, then shuffled away again as soon as he was no longer convenient to have around. After so many years of the same thing, he couldn't even bring himself to be happy that it meant he'd actually get to see his father for a while.

"Adrien?"

The boy sighed heavily and nodded.

"I understand."

 _They tell you what you need to know  
_ _They tell you who you need to be_

"I would have thought you would be more excited about having visitors," came a masculine voice from the doorway.

Adrien's head shot up and he whirled in his seat. Gabriel Agreste stood there, in all his fashionable glory, eyeing his son.

"Father," Adrien greeted, trying his best to suppress all the emotions the man's appearance always brought with him. "I'm sorry. Is there something that makes them different from all the others?"

Gabriel shot Natalie a look as if to say 'you didn't tell him?', and his assistant quickly lowered her gaze back down to the screen in her hand. The fashion icon looked back to his son.

"Their CEO will be bringing his daughter along. She's your age and I will be expecting you to play host for her. Take her around the city and show her a good time. Keep her entertained and get to know her. If things go well, she will be running her father's company in the future, just as you will be running mine and it is always better to have good, long-standing relationships with such people."

Adrien could only nod.

"Yes, father."

 _But everything inside you knows  
_ _There's more than what you've heard  
_ _There's so much more than empty conversations  
_ _Filled with empty words_

Should he bring up the subject that had been hanging between them for months? Did he dare start another battle about it and break this temporary peace between them? His father hadn't brought it up since Sunday, so should he? Should he tell him that his mind was still set?

The decision was taken out of his hands before he could make a choice as Natalie's screen beeped at her.

"Sir? The conference call is going to start in ten minutes."

"Thank you, Natalie."

No, not today, the boy decided sadly. Not when he would have to call his father back while the man was on a timetable for work. He'd never win that way. It would have been starting a battle with the sword already at his throat.

Adrien sighed and downed the rest of his coffee.

 _And you're on fire when he's near you  
_ _You're on fire when he speaks  
_ _You're on fire  
_ _Burning at these mysteries_

He pulled out his cell as he stood and texted Nino. Fencing would help him clear his head, but he wanted to see at least one friendly face this morning. It surprised him how much his three new friends had come to mean to him in such a short amount of time.

A little smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He had _friends_. It was still such a strange thing to think about.

His phone beeped and he looked at it.

 _'Sorry man, great-aunt's in town. At breakfast with the fam. Later?'_

Adrien felt his smile slip away. So much for that plan. He responded that his day was booked, but maybe tomorrow. Of course, Nino wasn't the only one he could go see, he realized, but as he brought up Marinette in his contacts, he hesitated.

With how he'd been acting yesterday, did he dare? He didn't want to let himself fall for the little baker when he was already in love with Ladybug. He had a feeling the more one-on-one time he spent with Marinette, the greater the chances would be that he'd end up in love with two girls and that was the last situation he needed to add to his plate.

 _Give me one more time around  
_ _Give me one more chance to see  
_ _Give me everything you are  
_ _Give me one more chance to be near you_

Adrien sighed and slipped his phone back into his pocket. No. Maybe it was just better if he only hung out with her in a group setting for now. Maybe once they were better friends, he'd be in less danger of falling. At least, he hoped that's how it would go.

He spent his extra time brushing up on a few older video games he hadn't played in a while, hoping next time he got the chance to challenge Marinette, he'd have the advantage.

Then, his day flew. Fencing let him work off some of his worries over Marinette and the problematic akuma he and Ladybug had faced yesterday. The interview, for some teen fashion magazine he forgot the name of as soon as lunch was over, went smoothly, but then he had to face his father and five hours of following the man around the studio as he critiqued the upcoming spring and summer lines while making his son participate. Adrien had also been forced to model several of the items and try his hand, yet again, at coming up with his own designs.

It was a very long day.

By the time he made it home, the last thing he wanted to do was study a language to try and impress a girl he didn't even know for future good relations in an industry he didn't even want to be in. So, he asked Natalie if he could do some self-study instead of the usual classroom structure she usually did for him. It took a bit of convincing and a stern warning that he had better actually study and not play video games, but in the end she agreed.

He hadn't been planing on playing video games anyway. What he needed was a good freedom run.

Adrien attempted to study for about an hour as Plagg munched away on a tray of camembert and proceeded to take a nap, but nothing was sinking in. Finally, he closed the book with more force than he meant to and the little kwami opened one eye.

"Are you done?" he asked. "Can I have more camembert?"

The boy rolled his eyes.

"You've had plenty. I think it's time to work some of it off."

Plagg sighed, but floated up and across the room to his chosen as the blonde stood.

"Claws out!"

 _Cause everything inside me looks like  
_ _Everything I hate  
_ _You are the hope I have for change  
_ _You are the only chance I'll take_

Ladybug didn't patrol every night like he did, and usually not on Saturdays, but that didn't mean he didn't hope every night that she might show up.

The sky had been overcast all day and the clouds were growing darker now, threatening rain. He ran his usual patrol and headed for the Eiffel Tower, but Ladybug never showed.

Then it began to rain.

 _When I'm on fire  
_ _When you're near me  
_ _I'm on fire  
_ _When you speak_

He didn't want to go home. He never did, but tonight the urge was stronger than usual and it was still early. Instead, he circled his patrol route again, his sopping hair falling into his eyes by the end of it.

And he still didn't want to go home.

 _And I'm on fire  
_ _Burning at these mysteries  
_ _These mysteries_

Chat slipped down between two buildings and sat heavily, leaning his back against the wall in a spot he thought no one would see him in. There were so few people out anyway, and all of those were hurrying home.

Home.

He sighed heavily, closing his eyes and leaning his head back so that the rain fell on his face. He should go home. He knew he should.

Except… Except he hadn't realized how badly he'd wanted to see his lady tonight. Even though he knew she probably wouldn't show, for some reason, it hit him harder this time. Maybe it was the rain or his long day or not seeing any of his friends or the akuma or…

Or maybe it was because he was beginning to feel things for Marinette and he'd wanted to see his lady to reassure himself. He knew he loved her, that wasn't a question. He'd wanted assurance that she was still here and real, even though that was completely stupid.

He'd just wanted to see her after such a long and disappointing day.

 _I'm standing on the edge of me  
_ _I'm standing on the edge of everything I've never been before  
_ _And I've been standing on the edge of me  
_ _Standing on the edge_

Thunder boomed and lightning flashed through the sky, cracking as it went. The rain began coming down harder.

He should go home, but he couldn't will himself to move as his mind turned unpleasantly to the conversation he was going to have to have with his father soon. It made the thought of home even less appealing.

Everything was quiet now, except for the rain, hitting the pavement and making puddles and the thunder rumbling above. All the sounds of people passing had faded. Everyone must be home now.

Except him.

Then he could hear one lone set of feet, walking sedately through the storm, even as the lightning crashed overhead. The feet paused.

 _And I'm on fire  
_ _When you're near me  
_ _I'm on fire  
_ _When you speak  
_ _Yea, I'm on fire  
_ _Burning at these mysteries_

"Chat? Chat Noir?"

His eyes popped open as his head whipped around and there stood Marintte Dupain-Cheng, big blue eyes full of concern.

 _These mysteries  
_ _These mysteries  
_ _Ah you're the mystery  
_ _You're the mystery_

X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

A/N: Hmmmm what will Marinette do, I wonder? Lol. And guess what? Second chapter this weekend! \o/ I'm hoping for a third, but don't hold your breath. There are people expecting me to do stuff. Silly humans. :P Lol.

The song is "On Fire" by Switchfoot. It always feels like a great rainy day song to me. :)

So, let me know what you think guys! Till next chapter!


	10. I Am a Tragedy

Chapter 9: I Am a Tragedy

Marinette adored rainy days. When she was younger, she would slip away from her parents to run around outside without a coat or umbrella, which she was promptly punished for as soon as they caught her, but that had never stopped her.

When she'd seen the storms rolling in tonight, she couldn't resist going for a walk. Being a bit older now, she had taken an umbrella and slipped rain boots on over her tennis shoes so that she wouldn't track water into the house when she came back, but that didn't stop her from splashing through all the puddles she came across, and a few she had to cross the street for.

Now the rain was in full force and there was no one outside but her. It made her grin.

A burst of lightning lit up the street for a moment and she thought she saw someone sitting in the alley. That pulled her up short with a frown. No one should be just sitting out in this downpour. They'd get sick! Even a rain lover like her knew that.

She crept closer and, as another flash of lightning lit up a very familiar black mask and pair of cat ears, she realized who it was.

"Chat?" she asked, shocked that he would be out here now. "Chat Noir?"

 _Here's a dilemma  
_ _I set on this course I can't escape_

Surely, he had a home. Why wasn't he there? With storms this bad there was no reason for him to be out patrolling and he certainly wasn't taking in a stroll like she was.

His eyes shot open and his head whipped around to look at her, clearly startled at being addressed. Maybe he thought no one was out or that no one would see him back there? He blinked rapidly at her for a moment, water streaming down his face.

"M-Marinette?"

 _Caught in the struggle  
_ _Longing for rescue from this place_

Of course he knew her name. There had been the EvilIllustrator incident and he'd saved her during the Gamer fiasco, not to mention his extra concern yesterday with the Super Assistant.

"Chat Noir, what are you doing out in this? You're going to get sick!"

She moved closer and crouched down beside him so that they were both sheltered by her umbrella. It put them rather close, and though Marinette was unconscious of the distance since it was only Chat, the other superhero's face took on a red tinge. Marinette frowned in concern and put a hand to his wet forehead.

"Are you feeling alright? You look flushed."

"I-I'm fine," he said, shaking his head a bit and dislodging her hand.

 _If I had the power  
_ _To fix myself you know I would_

She was still looking at him with those beautiful blue eyes though, face full of concern. For _him_. A person she barely knew. Sure, he was one of the heroes of Paris, but she didn't actually know him. They were virtual strangers at worst and distant acquaintances at best. Chat tried to wrap his head around the fact that she was genuinely concerned for _him_ , and the idea flooded him with warmth.

"Why aren't you at home?" she asked, her sweet voice gentle as she gave him a little smile. "This isn't exactly the weather for sitting around outside, you know."

He dropped his gaze, suddenly embarrassed by his own stupidity. She was right. He _should_ be at home and all his reasons for not being there in this weather were stupid. Still, he found himself mumbling a reply to her question as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Couldn't make myself go home. Didn't want to."

 _So I'll keep on waiting..._

She cocked her head to the side for a moment, studying his reddening face. Then, she took his hand and pulled him up with her as she stood.

"Then come home with me."

"What?"

His eyes went huge with surprise and she giggled at his reaction.

Geez, was she adorable.

"If you don't want to go to your home," she said, still smiling. "Then come home with me. If nothing else, it'll give you a chance to dry off and warm up, right?"

Chat stared down at her, still disbelieving.

"But… um, why? I mean, you don't even know me, princess."

"You're Chat Noir. What else do I need to know?"

Stunned and not sure how to respond to such trust, he didn't fight when she set the umbrella in the hand and slipped her own hand into the crook of his arm. Then she was pulling him along next to her, out of the alley and down the street.

 _The lights go up  
_ _Exposing all that you see_

If anyone had been around, they might have thought it a strange sight. The leather-clad superhero walking arm-in-arm with the cute little baker in a hoodie and jeans, an umbrella sheltering them both as it poured down around them. Chat wouldn't have let it bother him, though. He realized suddenly, as they walked in companionable silence, that this girl's warmth and light weren't exclusive to her baking. She showered them on everyone, even a stray alley cat.

He swallowed hard and stared ahead. No one had cared like that for him in years. Not since his mother had disappeared. It made it hard to believe it was happening right now.

Chat glanced at his companion out of the corner of his eye and saw that she had a contented little smile on her face as she watched the rain fall. Then, a huge grin lit up her face and she looked at him, a mischievous gleam in her eyes as she pointed ahead to a huge puddle.

"Come on!"

 _I am a tragedy  
_ _Bound by this role I play the lead  
_ _Could you write a new ending?_

Before his brain had entirely processed what she was about to do, she took off at a run, keeping him right beside her, and jumped straight into the giant puddle ahead of them. Chat could only blink in surprise at the turn of events, his feet several inches deep in water, as Marinette bounced through it and out the other side, waves, splashes, and Chat in her wake as she kept her hold on his arm.

 _Tear out these pages  
_ _Rewrite this story_

Out of the puddle, she picked up their previous pace again, grinning madly. When all she saw on Chat's face was surprise, her grin fell a bit.

"Not a fan of puddles? I guess you wouldn't really be a fan of water, would you? Cat and all."

She gestured to the top of her head to indicate his cat ears. He shook his head.

"No, no, it's not that. I mean, no I'm not really a fan of the rain, you just surprised me is all."

He paused and suddenly huffed a laugh, looking away.

"I haven't puddle jumped since I was a little kid."

Chat glanced sideways at his companion and then let a roughish smile take over his face.

"Bet I can jump in more puddles than you!"

"Oh, you're on!"

 _I'm finished fighting  
_ _All of my battles are in vain_

It took much longer than is should have to get to Marinette's house after that. They zig-zagged across the road dozens of times, looking for the best puddles, making faces of disappointment when the splashes weren't as big as they wanted them, and only had two cars come along to honk at them for running in the road. They splashed and laughed and kicked water at each other until they were both breathless, leaning on each other, and giggling like idiots.

"Pri… Princess, I… haven't had that m… much fun… in ages," Chat managed between gasps for air and bouts of laughter as he wiped tears from his eyes.

Marinette waited until she had control of her own lungs and laughter before replying, which took several minutes. Then she looked up at the superhero, still grinning.

"And I haven't ever had anyone actually willing to go puddle jumping with me. Thanks."

She gave him the biggest smile he'd ever seen and he felt his heart lurch in his chest, making him swallow nervously. No, no, he was _not_ going to fall in love with her. It was just the exhilaration of running around having fun.

Still, he couldn't help but grin back.

"Any time, princess."

 _And I'm tired of trying  
_ _Trying to make things work my way_

When they reached her home, she had him wait in the entryway.

"Maman will be upset if I track water through the house," she explained. "I'll only be a minute."

Chat shuffled his feet a bit as he waited, but, true to her word, she wasn't gone more than a minute, reappearing with a blanket and several towels. She had him hold the umbrella again as they went around to the bakery and she let them in and led him back into the kitchen.

"Sit," she said, pointing to a stool.

He complied and was handed a towel. His suit was mostly water-proof, but not entirely, so he began drying himself off. Then a second towel was thrown over his head and he froze as Marinette began gently drying his hair, being careful of the cat ears. He felt his face heat a bit, but did his best to suppress it.

 _There's not much to salvage  
_ _But you see something here to save  
_ _So I'll keep on waiting…_

The kitchen began to warm as the oven closest to him began to heat up and he realized she must have taken a moment to turn it on. Mentally, he shook himself and continued drying himself off as she finished with his hair and took the towel away from his head.

"So," the little baker said conversationally. "What's your favorite?"

Chat looked up, surprised.

"My favorite?" he repeated, blinking.

She laughed lightly.

"Pastry? Sweet? This _is_ a bakery after all. What would you like?"

"Oh, um, anything is fine, princess."

She shook her head as she shook a finger at him.

"Nu-uh, you're not getting away with that answer. You were sitting out in the rain not wanting to go home. If anything screams, 'I need comfort food', it's that. So, I'll ask again, what would you like?"

The little baker put her hands on her hips and waited expectantly with an air of gentle firmness. She looked as though she'd wait all night if she had to and Chat had no doubt that she would. He hid his face for a moment in the towel he was holding, pretending that his face needed extra drying, to give himself a moment.

 _The lights go up  
_ _Exposing all that you see_

She was too sweet. She really was. He couldn't wrap his head around how caring she was and it almost made him want to cry. He should have just texted her this morning to hang out instead of letting himself overthink it. She was the perfect friend and he didn't deserve that from her, with or without the mask.

Chat worked a thoughtful expression onto his face before he let the towel fall away. Then he looked toward the ceiling, pondering her question, before he let his gaze wander to hers again.

"Chocolate chip cookies?"

She grinned.

"Easy."

He watched her fall into her dance as she worked in silence, measuring and mixing. It was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. He became so lost in her dance that it wasn't until she paused and looked over at him with a frown that he realized he was shivering.

 _I am a tragedy  
_ _Bound by this role, I play the lead  
_ _Could you write a new ending?_

With a gentle smile, she grabbed the blanket and slipped it over his shoulders like a cape.

"Silly kitty," she murmured to herself as she went back to scooping out little balls of dough and setting them in neat rows on the cookie sheet.

When the cookies were in the oven, she went digging in the fridge and set a pan of milk to warming on the stove. She disappeared into the pantry for a few minutes, making Chat wonder what she was up to, before she reemerged with several bars of chocolate in hand. She broke them up into the milk and stirred them in.

 _Tear out these pages  
_ _Rewrite this story_

The cookie sheets came out a few minutes later and he watched as she expertly moved them from sheet to cooling rack.

He couldn't believe how much he was enjoying just sitting there, in a warm kitchen, watching his beautiful friend make him cookies and hot chocolate. It was so peaceful and inviting here. She made the place peaceful and inviting with her presence. She made his troubles slip to the back of his mind like they might not even exist anymore.

Ladybug did the same thing for him, he realized, but instead of peaceful and inviting, it was with confidence and action. Two girls who gave him the same peace of mind in completely different ways. It was no wonder he was feeling caught.

Chat suppressed a sigh.

 _I am a tragedy  
_ _Bound by this role, I play the lead  
_ _Could you write a new ending?_

A mug appeared in front of his nose and he looked up to see that Marinette was grinning down at him. He'd been so lost in his own thoughts he hadn't realized that she'd finished.

Chat reached out and took the mug from her. She pulled a stool up to the big metal table in the center of the kitchen and he followed suit with his as she set a plate of the cookies down between them.

They smelled divine and he happily bit into one, unable to suppress a groan of delight. Nino had been right that first day. Everything she made was like eating a piece of heaven baked by an angel.

She laughed at his reaction and took one for herself.

 _Tear out these pages  
_ _Rewrite this story_

"Are they really that good?" she asked, taking a bit.

He could only make happy munching noises for a few moments as the cookie quickly disappeared, but he nodded emphatically through it all.

"Oh, trust me, princess, they are _definitely_ that good," he told her as soon as his mouth was free.

That widened her smile and made her chuckle.

Half the plate disappeared into Chat's stomach before he slowed and sipped at the delicious hot chocolate she'd made. Heaven.

Then, he sat back and looked at her seriously for a minute. Surprised by the sudden change in his air, Marinette raised her eyebrows at him questioningly. He looked back at her for a long moment, but he wanted to know.

"Aren't you going to ask?"

Her head tilted to the side.

"About what?"

"About why I didn't want to go home."

"Do you want to tell me?"

 _I can't survive any longer  
_ _I'm calling you, calling you_

Chat stared at her. He didn't know what to say. She wasn't going to ask him anything. He'd been expecting questions that were apparently never going to come. Most people would have buried him in questions if he'd admitted to them that he didn't want to go home. Why wouldn't one of the hero's of Paris want to go home? What was his home life like? Was it really so bad? Then they would have started pushing for more information than he should give if his identify was going to remain secret and then things would blow up in his face one way or another.

But Marinette… Marinette hadn't asked a single question about anything except what he wanted her to make. She hadn't pushed anything. She hadn't pried. She'd just… been there. She'd made him laugh. She'd made cookies just for him.

He stared at her for so long that she began to frown a bit with worry.

"Chat? Are you alright?" she asked in that gentle way she had.

 _I won't scrape by on my own here  
_ _I'm calling you, calling you_

His vision began to blur and he blinked rapidly to dispel it.

"You're almost too good for this world, princess," he said, voice low to keep it from breaking. "If you were any sweeter, you'd be sugar itself."

She blinked at him once. Twice. Then she laughed.

"Chat Noir, are you _flirting_ with me?"

That brought him up short and his eyes widened. Crap! He waved his hands in front of him.

"No, no! That's not how I meant it at all, princess! Ugh, I'm so sorry. I just meant, you're a really good person, you know? I haven't met anyone like you before. Anyone else would have been bombarding me with questions but the only things you've asked me are about what _I_ want. I just… I haven't had anyone care so much about what I want in a long time and…"

He lowered his hands and looked away, feeling the prick at the back of his eyes of threatening tears again. Then he shook his head.

"Sorry. I just…"

 _Take me away  
_ _You've got plans for me, I'm listening  
_ _Take me away  
_ _You're my one hope for escape_

Chat suddenly found the little baker's arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. He was so startled that he completely froze. He couldn't move. He couldn't breath. He couldn't think.

Then, slowly, his brain started working again. He swallowed hard, a lump rising in his throat as the tears stung his eyes. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her waist, buried his face in her shoulder, and then, the flood gates opened and he let himself quietly cry.

He realized at one point that she had started running her fingers gently through his hair as she crooned soft reassurances in his ear.

"Oh, my poor chaton…"

 _I am a tragedy  
_ _Bound by this role, I play the lead  
_ _Could you write a new ending?_

Marinette thought her heart might just break. She felt terrible. She didn't know what was wrong and she felt as though it was her own fault that she didn't know. Would he have told Ladybug? Should she have gone on patrol tonight after all? But then, they never talked about anything personal as their alter egos, and that was her fault too, for insisting on keeping their identities a secret from each other.

Certainly, she'd been wondering what was wrong since the moment she'd spotted him sitting listlessly in the rain, but prying would have put him in a tough position, and the last thing she wanted was to make his day worse. That was part of why she'd run through that first puddle, trying to cheer him up. It had worked in a roundabout way.

Baking always helped to cheer her up and she knew all too well the power of comfort food. That was why she'd promised herself as they walked home that she'd bake whatever he asked for, even if she'd never made it before. Cookies had been child's play.

Hot chocolate was the thing her parents had always made for her when she'd had a bad day, so she'd made that, too.

She didn't want to pry, but she did want to help. She felt so stupid for insisting on secrecy now. Did her partner have a bad home life? From the little he had said, it sounded like whoever he did have at home didn't particularly care about him or what he wanted.

 _Tear out these pages  
_ _Rewrite this story_

The little baker sighed quietly, disappointed in herself and hurting for Chat, though she didn't know why. As his tears began to slow, she made a resolution. She might still need to keep the professional boundaries she'd set as Ladybug, but that didn't mean Marinette couldn't be Chat's friend, right?

When he started to pull away, she let him, her hands falling away as he wiped his eyes, sniffling. He wouldn't look at her and she understood. They were, without her mask on, barely acquaintances, and crying on the shoulder of someone like that could be embarrassing.

She picked up her hot chocolate and sipped at it, though it was luke warm now.

"Sorry," she heard him say quietly after a long pause.

She looked over at him with a gentle smile.

"Don't be."

Chat looked up then and she turned so that she was facing him. She took his hands and gave them a gentle squeeze as he stared at her.

"I don't know what your life is like on the other side of that mask," she said quietly. "But it sounds as though it's pretty lonely. I just want you to know that you are always welcome here, Chat. Any time, any day, and I mean it. You don't ever have to tell me anything you don't want to and I will never pry, but no one should be alone."

 _Cause, I am a tragedy  
_ _Bound by this role, I play the lead  
_ _Could you write a new ending?_

Chat didn't know what to say. He was at a complete loss for words.

Here was this girl, who hardly knew him, who had taken him in off the street, who had run through rain puddles laughing with him, who had asked what _he_ wanted, who had made him cookies and hot chocolate, who had hugged him and let him cry on her shoulder without even knowing why he was crying, and now, now she was sitting there, offering her friendship and company whenever he wanted it, because she didn't think he should be alone.

He stood and scooped her right off her stool and into a bear hug.

 _Tear out these pages  
_ _Rewrite this story_

She was giggling as he kissed the top of her head and whispered.

"You really are a princess, princess."

 _Tear out these pages  
_ _Rewrite this story  
_ _Tear out these pages  
_ _Rewrite this story_

X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

A/N: Silly humans shall never stop me! Mwahahahaha! ::lightning crackles in background as cape flutters in the wind:: Lol. :P That's right, update number three. Bam! Lol. Not gonna lie, I loved writing this chapter. Also, did not end up using the song I thought I was going to use.

This song is actually called "Letter to the Editor" by Philmont, but obviously that would have been a weird chapter title so, you know, creative liberties and all. :)

Don't forget to drop me a line and let me know what you thought! Till next chapter! :)


	11. Sticking with You

Chapter 10: Sticking With You

Chat gently lowered the little baker back down to the stool he'd stolen her from and retrieved his fallen blanket before reseating himself. Marinette was giving him a lopsided grin as she sipped her hot chocolate, which he knew was far from hot at this point thanks to him, but she didn't seem to mind the fact, so he sipped on his own and didn't comment.

The rain had lessened somewhat outside and, as he watched the raindrops side down the fogging pane, Chat found that maybe he did want to talk a bit, but only because it was Marinette who would be listening.

"My father expects me to follow in his footsteps," he said in such a low, quiet voice that no one else but the girl next to him would have been able to hear. "It wouldn't be so bad if I had any interest at all in what he does, but in truth, I don't want anything to do with it. It's not that it's a bad business or anything, it's just not what I want to do with my life, but…"

He turned his gaze to studying his mug intently, both clawed hands wrapping around it. A sigh escaped him as his shoulders slumped.

"He's got me so wrapped up in doing what he wants me to do and playing the good son that I haven't had any chance to figure out what I actually want for my life."

Chat finally looked over at the little baker and saw only sympathetic understanding there. No judgement. No impatience. It boosted him a bit.

"I take it you haven't said any of that to him?" she surmised just as quietly.

Chat snorted a rueful laugh.

"The last "talk" we had was him bursting into my bedroom before I was even awake to lecture me. By the time I was awake enough to even understand what he was going on about, he'd finished what he wanted to say and stalked out."

She frowned. She wanted to ask what his mother thought of her son following in his father's footsteps when the son obviously didn't want to, but felt as though it might be prying since Chat hadn't brought her up.

"Is there anyone who could talk to him for you? Be a sort of… advocate?" she asked instead.

Chat shook his head and released his mug to stare at his gloved hands instead.

"No, there really isn't. It's something I'm going to have to talk to him about myself, but…" He paused with a sigh and then gave her a rueful little grin. "He's a very busy and intimidating person. Every time I get up the courage to bring it up, he has to leave for some meeting or other."

The bluenette put a supportive hand over his as she opened her mouth to speak.

"Marinette?"

They both froze at the sound of the new voice, coming from the bakery itself. The little baker's went wide and she began motioning Chat towards the pantry. He quickly complied, scurrying off with his mug in hand to hide the evidence of a second person as Marinette quietly put the stools back where they had been before.

"Marinette?" the voice called again, and Chat realized it must be her father.

"I'm in here, papa," she called, moving to the stove.

Then, a huge man poked his head through the door, giving his daughter a worried look.

"Are you alright? It's pretty late to be baking, especially when you have to be up early."

His daughter gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'm fine, papa. Just a late-night craving after my walk. Want one?" She held up the plate of cookies as she continued. "And you're one to talk. You've usually been sound asleep for a couple of hours by now. Why are you up?"

The big man shook his head to the cookies as he came fully into the kitchen, so Marinette put the plate back down as he answered her other question.

"The thunder woke me up and I saw light coming from the windows down here. When I saw you weren't in your bed, I thought I had better come check on you."

Chat felt a sting of envy at her father's words, even as it made him smile slightly. The man had woken up and checked on his daughter, just because he was awake, and then had come to make sure she was alright when she wasn't in her bed.

"I really am fine and I won't be too much longer. I'll head up soon," his daughter promised.

He ruffled her hair fondly.

"See that you do, sweetheart."

She jumped up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight, papa."

"Goodnight."

When Chat could hear that the man had left the shop, he crept back out quietly, looking at the kitchen door and wondering what it would be like to have a father who cared like that.

"Chat?"

The blonde boy turned green eyes to the little baker thoughtfully, a bit of wistful sadness in his gaze.

"He really cares, doesn't he?"

Marinette nodded, still smiling softly.

"Yes, he does. He's a good man, my papa."

Chat nodded slowly, gaze sliding back to the door. Marinette moved closer and touched his arm, but didn't say anything. After a moment, his eyes shifted to her again and he gave her a rueful smile.

"He's a lot different than my father," he said simply.

She gave him a sad smile and gently tugged his arm to bring him back to the table, but Chat shook his head.

"No, princess, your father was right. It's late. I should go home and you should get to bed."

"I've baked on far less sleep," she told him with a gentle smile. "Don't worry on my account."

That tugged a grin out of Chat. He couldn't help it. When she looked at him like that it made him want to smile too. He leaned closer and booped her nose, earning himself a surprised laugh.

"You certainly don't need beauty sleep, _purrr_ incess," he told her playfully. "But an alley cat like me needs as much sleep as he can get."

He caught her hand and kissed the back of it, making the girl squeak in surprise, then performed a sweeping bow as he released her.

"Goodnight, princess. May your dreams be as sweet as you."

Chat winked as he came out of the bow, and then he turned and was out of the kitchen and then the shop before she could think to follow.

Alone in the kitchen, Marinette held the hand he'd kissed to her chest and stared at the door, a mixture of sadness and worry pooling in her stomach. She definitely had to do something more for Chat.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Dude, you should totally throw a halloween party!"

"You think so?" Adrien asked, his doubt evident.

He'd been telling Alya and Nino about the upcoming visit from his father's Italian business partner and the daughter the man was bringing along. They were all waiting outside the bakery for Marinette to finish for the day as they munched on their preferred pastries.

"Oh, yeah!" the other boy said, nodding emphatically. "We'll show her how Parisians party!"

Adrien frowned.

"I don't think my father would be too happy about me throwing a party."

"Dude, just tell him it's for the girl. He said you were supposed to show her a good time right? What's a better time than a party?"

Alya was nodding.

"I agree," she told Adrien. "Actually, it might impress your father that you're taking extra pains to make her feel welcome."

The blonde looked out over the park in thoughtful silence for a moment before nodding.

"Yeah, that's possible, I guess, but it's going to be a pretty boring party. He'll insist on inviting a bunch of his business contacts and you guys are the only actual friends I'd be inviting, besides Marinette of course."

Nino and Alya looked at each other, communicating silently for a long moment before they both grinned. Nino threw an arm around Adrien's shoulders.

"Dude, you just give us an extra twenty or so invites and we'll make sure the party rocks."

Adrien hesitated.

"Don't worry," Alya added. "We'll make sure none of them will do anything stupid to embarrass you."

The blonde boy finally grinned.

"Alright, sounds like a plan."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That night, Ladybug sat on the Eiffel Tower, looking out over the city shining below her and pondering her next move. She'd gone out just a bit earlier than normal for her patrol, because she'd wanted some time to think. She'd consulted with Tikki earlier, which had helped her resolve, but now she was trying to decided exactly how she wanted to approach her feline partner.

She knew she couldn't bring up anything that had happened last night, because Ladybug hadn't been there and she didn't want to give away that she was Marinette. She also couldn't suddenly start talking about their personal lives, because it would be completely out of character for Ladybug. Maybe she could start on a slightly different topic and work her way around to it?

 _Come on, it's me you're talking to  
_ _There's something going on inside of you  
_ _Don't have to say it but I wish you would  
_ _Cause it would be much easier_

"Good evening, my lady," came Chat's cheery voice as he dropped down beside her with a grin. "You're looking _paw_ sitively radiant tonight."

Ladybug rolled her eyes, but didn't try very hard to suppress her smile.

"Hey, Chat. How do things look?"

He shrank his baton and placed it at his back as he seated himself next to her.

"All quiet. You?"

"Same," she said, looking back out towards the city again.

They sat for several moments in silence, enjoying the view, before Ladybug leaned back on her hands and looked up towards the sky thoughtfully.

"Chat," she said quietly. "I've been thinking."

Chat turned his full attention to her. She probably wanted to talk about the akuma, he guessed, but he certainly didn't mind if it meant he got to look at her that much longer. Something in him had eased at the sight of her already waiting for him tonight, and he was glad she'd come out to patrol.

She gave him a sideways glance, then looked away again with a sigh.

 _You always hide behind yourself  
_ _You walk a lonely road with no one's help  
_ _I hate to break the news  
_ _You're headed for a fall_

"I've been doing a lot of thinking recently," she finally went on. "And…"

His lady trailed off with a frustrated sigh and Chat cocked his head, puzzled. What was she trying to say? She straightened.

"Alright, I'm just going to say it and I'm sorry if I don't make sense, but words aren't really my thing."

She paused, looking at her hands where she twisted them in her lap.

"I've been thinking a lot about our civilian selves and why it is that I get this horrible feeling in my gut every time you bring up revealing our identifies to each other. I've been wrestling with it for a while now, because I know it isn't that I don't trust you. I know I'd trust you with my life as quickly as I'd trust you with the lives of my family and friends, so it can't be a trust thing. There's no one I trust more than you, Chat."

Her partner was staring at her, his mind whirling. He already knew that she trusted him, though it was nice to hear her put it into words. At the same time though, he wondered where she was going with this. Was she going to want to reveal their identifies tonight? Finally? After all this time, just like that? There was no way his luck was that good.

"I feel the same way, my lady," he told her sincerely.

She nodded, still not looking at him.

 _And if I have to jump, then I'll jump  
_ _And I won't look down  
_ _You can cry, you can fight  
_ _You can scream and shout_

"So, I've been thinking about it a lot and I finally realized it's because… well, because I'm afraid."

Chat blinked at her. Ladybug, afraid? Of what? He shook his head.

"I'm sorry, my lady, I don't understand."

She sighed heavily and looked at the sky.

"Without the mask, I'm not much like Ladybug," she told him, quietly at first, but slowly gaining speed as she went on. "I'm not confident or brave or graceful. You like me well enough with the mask, but without it? I'm terrified that you won't like the person underneath, and if I'm so different in my civilian form, then how much different are you? I'm scared that I'll find out you're a completely different person and that I won't like that person for some reason or our civilian forms will hate each other and then the great relationship we have right now will go up in flames and I don't know if I can handle that and I'm just…"

She trailed off with a sigh.

"I'm just scared it'll all end horribly."

 _I'll push and pull until your walls come down  
_ _And you understand, I'm gonna be around  
_ _I'm sticking with you, sticking with you_

Chat caught her hand and held it to his heart.

"My lady, I could never hate you, no matter what!"

She gently tugged her hand away, shaking her head.

"That's just my point, Chat, you can't possibly know that and you saying it doesn't change my doubts. If all it took was a declaration like that, then I wouldn't have been afraid in the first place."

Her partner sat back, frowning.

"So, what are you getting at then?"

She glanced down for a moment, steeling herself, then took a deep breath.

 _Even if you try and shut me out  
_ _I'm staying here cause that's what love's about  
_ _I might let you down but I won't let you go_

"I think, maybe, it might be less of a shock revealing ourselves eventually if we started sharing more about our civilian lives." She looked up quickly, holding up her hands. "I don't mean like our names or things we could use to figure out who the other is, at least not a first, I just mean, I guess I mean that I'd like to get to know more about you and let you know more about me and maybe it might help alleviate my fears."

She forced herself to stop talking, feeling that her face had started to flush and if she went any longer she'd start babbling like an idiot and getting off topic. Instead, she clenched her hands in her lap and waited for Chat's reaction.

 _So lean into me, I want to know  
_ _Everything about the fear you hold inside  
_ _'Cause you and I are better than just one_

Chat couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was Ladybug actually sitting there, telling him that she wanted to know more about him? Was she seriously considering revealing her identity if he could help alleviate her fears?

He knew he'd love this girl, no matter what form she took, but if she was worried that he wouldn't, he'd do whatever it took to make her understand.

She wasn't looking at him, so he reached out and gently took one of her fisted hands, drawing it to his lips. Her head snapped up to look at him, surprise and worry mingling in her gaze.

"Whatever my lady wishes, I'm hers to command," he told her simply, a gentle smile on his lips.

 _So if I have to jump, then I'll jump  
_ _And I won't look down  
_ _You can cry, you can fight  
_ _You can scream and shout_

Ladybug almost breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't exactly what she'd wanted him to say, but it was close enough. She took her hand back and looked away again, not sure where to go from here. So far her plan had worked, but she hadn't thought it out any further than that. She hadn't been sure how he'd react to her fears, though she supposed she should have expected a good outcome since it was Chat, but still, she'd planned to have to fight for it a bit more.

So now what? Where did she start?

 _I'll push and pull until your walls come down  
_ _And you understand, I'm gonna be around  
_ _I'm sticking with…_

As she thought furiously about what the next best step would be, Chat leaned back on his hands.

"My civilian form has to wear a lot of cologne, because otherwise I smell like camembert all the time."

Her head whipped around to look at him, wide-eyed, and he laughed at her expression.

"What?" she said, disbelieving. "Why camembert?"

Chat grinned.

"Cause it's the only thing my kwami will eat."

Ladybug laughed.

"That's terrible! Camembert? Really? Mine eats nothing but cookies."

"Lucky. I _wish_ Plagg would eat sweets instead of stinky cheese."

 _That's what it means to love you  
_ _That's what it means to have your back  
_ _That's what it takes to show you  
_ _That I'm in, I'm in_

Yes, this was good. This was a very good place to start. It was common ground. It was safe. Maybe he wouldn't open up to her tonight, or tomorrow, or even months from now, but eventually, she hoped, he might let her in if she let down her guard first.

"Is he helpful at least?"

Chat snorted a laugh.

"'Helpful' and 'Plagg' don't belong in the same sentence unless there's a whole lot of sarcasm attached," he told her. "Really, he just lays around all day, demanding camembert and napping."

"Oh, no, really?" she asked, giggling. "He sounds a lot different than Tikki. She's always giving me advise and encouraging me."

He grinned, mischievously.

"Wanna trade kwamis for a day?"

Ladybug laughed.

"No way!"

 _If I have to jump, then I'll jump  
_ _And I won't look down  
_ _You can cry, you can fight  
_ _You can scream and shout_

An hour passed, then two, as the superheroes talked about little things in their lives and and swapped stories about their kwamis, laughing the whole time. Ladybug found herself wishing she'd worked it out sooner in her own head. Chat didn't deserve to be lonely just because she was afraid of what might happen.

 _I'll push and pull until your walls come down  
_ _And you understand, I'm gonna be around  
_ _And if I have to jump, then I'll jump  
_ _And I won't look down  
_ _You can cry, you can fight  
_ _You can scream and shout_

The moon had risen as a comfortable silence fell between them and Ladybug sighed softly. She had school in the morning and, as enjoyable as talking with Chat had turned out to be, she really should go home.

She stood slowly, looking back down at Chat with a smile.

"I'd best get home. It's a school night."

He stood as well, snagging her hand and kissing the back of it before she could pull away.

"Of course, my lady," he replied. "And thank you."

She blinked at him, surprised.

"For what?"

He gave her a warm smile.

"For trusting me with your fears. I'll do whatever I can to alleviate them."

She gave him a small smile in return before she swung away towards home.

 _I'll push and pull until your walls come down  
_ _And you understand, I'm gonna be around  
_ _Cause I'm sticking with you  
_ _I'm sticking with you  
_ _I'm sticking with you_

X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

A/N: So, there won't be an update next weekend. Sorry, guys, but you know how life goes. I will do my best to do multiple chapters the following weekend, however, and we have some fun things coming up. :)

The song is "Sticking with You" by Addison Road.

Thanks for all your reviews guys! I was thrilled to see how much you all loved the last chapter. You made my week! Till next chapter! :)


	12. Who's That Girl?

Chapter 11: Who's That Girl?

"Oooh, Marinette, you should try this one on!"

Marinette turned to Alya, who stood between racks of costumes, and laughed at the skimpy nurse outfit her best friend was holding up for inspection.

"Sure, but only if you're trying on this."

She pulled a huge yellow duck suit, complete with feathers and puffy orange feet, off a rack near her and held it towards Alya, who made a face and laughed.

"How's that a fair trade? I try and make you look sexy and you try and put me in a duck suit? Not cool!"

"Then try finding me something that won't have me wishing for a trench coat all night," the bluenette shot back.

Alya heaved a put-upon sigh and rolled her eyes, even as she grinned.

"Fiiiiine, I'll find something else."

"Good, then I will too," Marinette replied, going back to sifting through racks.

Several minutes later, the little baker heard her friend gasp, giggle and call her name in a sing-song voice.

"Oh, Mar~in~e~tte~…"

The girl in question suppressed a groan. This was going to worse than the nurse costume. She just knew it. Bracing herself as she followed Alya's voice, the bluenette rounded a tall rack and stopped dead in her tracks as soon as she saw what was in her best friend's hands.

"No. No way. Uh-uh. Not on your life. No."

Alya grinned evilly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The past two weeks had flown by. Between party planning, Italian crash courses on top of his usual studies, keeping up with his patrols as Chat Noir, and having real friends to try and hang out with between photo shoots and interviews, Adrien had barely had time to even consider talking with his father, but he was determined that as soon as their Italian visitors were gone, he would sit down with his father and talk, even if he had to make an appointment with the man.

He was disappointed in himself for not having managed to find time to visit Marinette again as Chat Noir though, but extra time was't something that had existed for him recently, especially since Ladybug was actually talking to him now about more than just business. It had started to make patrols longer when she was there, but it was worth whatever sleep he lost to get closer to his lady.

Adrien took a last look at himself in the mirror. His charcoal suit was perfectly tailored and the cream button up shirt had been pressed. His shoes were polished and his hair was styled. Then he frowned. He was missing something. Looking more closely at his sleeves, he sighed.

Then, he began searching. Not on his dresser, not in the bathroom, not on his nightstand.

"Plagg, did you eat my cufflinks?"

The kwami opened a lazy eye.

"Are they cheese?"

Adrien rolled his own eyes.

"Of course not, but you've been known to mistake jewelry boxes for boxes of cheese, so, did you eat them?"

Plagg sat up, hands on his hips.

"I'm offended that you think so little of me, after all we've been through."

"It's precisely _because_ of all we've been through that I'm asking," his chosen shot back. "Seriously, have you seen them?"

The kwami thought long and hard for a minute.

"Mmmm, small little nugget things that maybe, possibly, under the right lighting could have looked like small pieces of cheese?"

Adrien groaned.

"Plagg, _please_ tell me you didn't actually eat my cufflinks."

"Of course not! They tasted disgusting anyway. I think I spat them in that direction."

The black kwami pointed to the far side of the bed near the wall. The blonde looked heavenward in a silent plea for patience, and climbed over the bed go dig around in the small space. When he did at last find them, they were wet with kwami spit and he was forced to wash them off before he could put them on.

"Thanks, Plagg," Adrien mumbled to himself as he did so.

"What was that?" the kwami asked, floating towards the mirror.

The blonde sighed.

"Nothing. Let's go."

As Adrien climbed into the waiting limo, his phone buzzed. It looked to be a huge group text that originated with Nino.

 _'Kim v Alex. Plaza. 1 hr.'_

Alya and Nino had been introducing him to their classmates in small groups as the people the other invitations were going to. So far he'd liked everyone he'd met. It took him a moment to recall who Kim and Alex were, but once he did, he grinned. Whatever had prompted this, it was sure to be good. He hoped he'd be able to make it.

He replied and then silenced his phone as everyone else started putting in their two cents worth, asking questions, and saying excitedly that they'd be there and couldn't wait. Then a few moments later, his phone was back in his pocket and they were pulling up the hotel.

Adrien let himself out before the doorman or his bodyguard could reach him, and waved them both off with a smile. He walked into the lobby right on time to find his father already there with a man Adrien didn't know and a girl about his own age.

Gabriel turned as his son walked up to the group and gave the boy a once over inspection before motioning to the other man.

"Monsieur Rossi, my son, Adrien. Adrien, this is Monsieur Rossi and his daughter, Lila."

Adrien shook the man's offered hand and gave his model smile before turning his gaze to the girl. She was pretty, with olive green eyes and long brown hair and bangs, but she smiled far too flirtatiously for his taste, even if his heart hadn't already been claimed.

"It's nice to meet you, Lila," he told her, his model smile still firmly in place as he took her offered hand.

"You as well," she replied with a coy grin.

"Monsieur Rossi," his father continued. "Perhaps we should leave the young people to their own devices for a while."

"Good idea, Gabriel," the other man agreed.

Cool blue eyes turned on Adrien, who met his father's gaze and knew perfectly well what the man wanted him to do. The blonde nodded slightly and turned back to the girl, holding out an arm and making sure his practiced smile was where it belonged.

"Shall we?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Marinette glanced up from her homewok and her eyes strayed to her closet, making her wince as she remembered the costume she'd hidden away in there, hoping vainly that Alya might forget all about the purchase. The bluenette sighed and turned back to her homework, but she was distracted by all the other thoughts buzzing through her mind, none of which had anything to do with math.

Chat hadn't come back to the bakery since that night and she wondered how things were going for him at home and if he'd talked to his father at all yet. He and Ladybug had been talking a lot more, but they had a long way to go before they were that close. There was no way she could have brought up the topic without telling him who she was. She still wasn't ready for that, so she was forced to keep waiting. Really, she wondered if he would ever come back. Maybe she'd been too forward with that invitation? Or he felt too weird about crying on a stranger's shoulder? Was he too embarassed to come back? Or was he simply not interested in having her as a friend? Or maybe he'd just been really busy?

Her phone buzzed, breaking her out of her spiraling thoughts. She read the text and couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. What in the world was Kim doing challenging Alex again? She responded that she'd be there and then her phone wouldn't stop buzzing as everyone started asking what the challenge was and offering theories. Unfortunately, it seemed no one who was saying anything actually knew what the bet was, though obviously it was a bet if Kim was involved, and there was all sorts of speculation, which got crazier and crazier the longer it went on.

Ten minutes into the hour, Marinette had to silence her phone because the texts wouldn't stop coming. When there was still a half hour left before the start of the challenge, the little baker gave into her curiosity and headed out to the plaza. Half their classmates were already there by the time she made it and she waved to Alya as the other girl jogged over to her.

"So, any word on the bet yet?" the little baker asked as she hugged the journalist.

"Nothing yet, but I'm going to make Alex tell me the second she gets here."

Marinette laughed, almost feeling bad for the other girl who'd be subjected to her best friend's reporter side.

When Nino made his appearance, he was mobbed by the waiting group, which was growing rapidly. He was only saved when Alya pulled him out and demanded everyone back off her boy. Then, of course, she was the one demanding answers, but Nino insisted he'd tell everyone at the same time.

Then the limo pulled up, getting a couple of cat calls from some of their classmates. Adrien climbed out, dressed in a suit, and made a face at the cat callers, before grinning at them all good naturedly. The little baker felt her heart flutter in her chest at the sight of him. He was even more handsome than usual, dressed up like that.

Then, he was turning back to the limo and giving his hand to someone who was still inside. As a beautiful Italian girl appeared with a coy grin directed solely at Adrien, Marinette felt the flutters of her heart turn to painful twists of jealousy.

 _Who's that girl?  
_ _Where's she from?  
_ _No, she can't be the one  
_ _That you want  
_ _That has stolen my world_

As the blonde boy and the stranger approached, the girl keeping her hand on Adrien's arm, the baker put on her friendliest smile and ignored the worried look that Alya shot her.

"Hey, man!" Nino greeted, throwing an arm around Adrien's shoulders as he reached them. "Glad you could make it! This is gonna be good."

"Is it going to be anything like their last bet?"

Nino laughed.

"Something like that."

Alya groaned.

"Don't tell me he challenged her to _another_ race."

Nino just kept grinning.

"So," he asked Adrien. "Who's your friend?"

"Guys, this is Lila Rossi," the model said, gesturing to the girl who had yet to let go of his arm. "Lila, these are my friends, Nino, Alya, and Marinette."

The girl, Lila, nodded politely to all of them, though it seemed to Marinette that her gaze lingered in an unfriendly way on her. No, that couldn't be right. She was imagining things. It was her jealousy talking. After all, they didn't even know each other.

"Adrien has been showing me around the city," she told them. "I've never been to France before, but it's true what they say. Paris really is the most romantic city in the world."

Lila leaned into Adrien and smiled up at him as she finished speaking. Marinette felt her heart twist again, even as she forced her smile to stay in place.

 _It's not real, it's not right  
_ _It's my day, it's my night  
_ _By the way  
_ _Who's that girl living my life?_

Huffing breaths interrupted all the conversations as Kim appeared and paused, jogging in place as people started demanding answers about the bet. The jock grinned and stopped running in place long enough to put a fist on his hip and point to himself with his free thumb.

"That's right, I bet Alex I could beat her this year, three times around the plaza."

"What're the stakes this time?" called Alya.

The sound of rollerblades on pavement had everyone turning to see a scarlet-faced Alex approaching at speed. She skidded to a halt just shy of crashing right into the jock, whom she was glaring daggers at. Kim hadn't even flinched. If anything, he looked even more confident now.

"If I win," Alex stated, still glaring. "Same as last time. No more bets for the rest of the year."

"And if _I_ win," Kim continued, looking smug. "Alex has to go to Adrien's Halloween party as my date."

There was an audible gasp and then everyone was talking. Marinette exchanged looks with Alya and then couldn't help the giggle that escaped her. Alex looked ready to run Kim over where he stood and the little baker didn't think he had a prayer of winning with the pink-haired girl in that sort of mood.

Max gave everyone a few minutes to get everything out of their systems before he called everyone's attention to the starting line. A countdown and they were off. Everyone started cheering, with a surprising number rooting Kim on. Marinette cheered for them both.

 _Seems like everything's the same around me  
_ _Then I look again and everything has changed_

As the first lap completed, Marinette caught sight of Lila, still attached to Adrien's arm like a leech, leaning in even closer to say something in his ear. The little baker gritted her teeth and forced her attention back to the race.

No. She was _not_ going to be _that_ girl. Yes, she had a massive crush on Adrien, but that didn't mean he had to feel the same way. She'd known from the start that he probably didn't and she wanted to be his friend. Nothing more.

She caught her eyes wandering back to the pair again, seeing Adrien distractedly replying to whatever the girl had said. Marinette tried her best to put a damper on the petty, ungracious thoughts that flooded her mind as she suppressed a groan.

Of all the girls in the world, why _her_?

 _I'm not dreaming so I don't know why  
_ _I don't know why  
_ _I don't know why  
_ _She's everywhere I wanna be_

The second lap ended with Kim, shockingly, keeping pace with Alex. He was beginning to look a little winded, but that just spurred his supporters on to louder cheering and put a grin back on his face.

He must have been practicing for a while to get fast enough to keep up with an angry Alex on her rollerblades, Marinette realized as she watched in awe. How much extra training did something like that take? She couldn't begin to guess.

The little baker's concentration was broken by a flirty giggle coming from the direction of Lila and Adrien.

 _Who's that girl?  
_ _Where's she from?  
_ _No she can't be the one  
_ _That you want  
_ _That has stolen my world_

Marinette refused to look again. She didn't want to know what she'd see.

"You can do it!" she cheered to both competitors as they made the last turn.

Kim was falling a bit behind now, but he put on a burst of speed as the cheers redoubled. Max was waiting by the finish line and Alya was recording everything, for posterities sake.

Then, her gaze wandered for a moment and she caught Adrien looking down at Lila with that beautiful smile of his. For a moment, Marinette couldn't breath as jealousy nearly strangled her.

She made herself look away.

 _It's not real, it's not right  
_ _It's my day, it's my night  
_ _By the way  
_ _Who's that girl living my life?_

Alex crossed the finish line moments before Kim skidded through after her. The pink-haired girl held up a triumphant fist as everyone cheered for her, whether or not they had been before. Kim walked in slow circles getting his breath back as their classmates and friends called out their sympathies. He waved them off with a grin, though it was a less cocky grin that his usual one. No one commented if they noticed the fact.

Marinette turned to Alya.

"You get it all?"

"Of course!" the other replied proudly. "Start to finish. Man was that a close one! He's been practicing!"

"That's exactly what I'd been thinking," the little baker agreed with a nod. "I wonder how long it took him?"

Alya shrugged and suddenly Adrien was standing next to her, Lila still clinging to his arm like she wanted to be permanently attached. To Marinette's relief, the model didn't seem thrilled by the attention, but more politely enduring. She wished Adrien would just tell the girl to get off of him.

"That was amazing!" he said, looking to the little baker with a grin.

"Y-yeah it was," she agreed, her heart warming.

"Adrien," Lila interjected, somehow managing to lean into him even more. "You said we had reservations for lunch? I'm famished."

She looked up at him through her lashes and Marinette did her best not to gag as she suppressed the urge to throw a shoe at the brunette.

 _Who's that girl?  
_ _Where's she from?  
_ _No she can't be the one  
_ _That you want  
_ _That has stolen my world_

Adrien checked his watched and nodded.

"Yeah, you're right. We shouldn't make them hold the table."

He looked back to the girls as Nino joined them.

"I'll see you guys tonight?"

"You bet, man!" the other boy said, giving him a thumbs up.

"We'll all be there, right guys?" Alya called over her shoulder to the rest of their classmates, who cheered loudly in response.

Then the model's gaze fell on Marinette, who could only nod in agreement as those gorgeous green eyes seemed to bore right into her soul. The blonde boy grinned at her nod and the baker felt herself flush as she returned the smile.

"Alright, see you guys tonight!" the blonde called to the rest of the group still milling about.

Adrien turned away, waving to everyone with Lila _still_ clinging to his arm, as Nino turned to his girlfriend and asked what time he should be by later. Alya began explaining the plans she and Marinette had made as the bluenette nodded in agreement.

No one noticed the dark glare the pretty Italian girl was giving the sweet little baker as Adrien opened the limo door. As he turned back to help her in though, the glare was gone, replaced, once again, by that flirty smile.

 _It's not real, it's not right  
_ _It's my day, it's my night  
_ _By the way  
_ _Who's that girl living my life?  
_ _Oh no, living my life_

X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

A/N: I'm back! ::triumphant pose:: There will hopefully be one more chapter this weekend (maaaaybe even including a little of the corner we haven't hit yet in the square...? ;)), so long as the inspiration comes. And what is going on in Lila's head? Hmmm...

The song is "Who's That Girl?" by Hilary Duff. The first verse was cut because, context. Lol.

Thank you all for your reviews! I'm having a blast writing this story and it's all thanks to you guys! Till next chapter! :D


End file.
